


D.E.A.T.H. Walks Golden in My Dreams

by quiet_or_die



Category: One Piece
Genre: M/M, Mentions of Suicidal Thoughts, References to PTSD, attempt at Scottish dialect, mentions of torture (non graphic), pre timeskip through wano
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-31
Updated: 2021-01-21
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:27:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 20,848
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28442403
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/quiet_or_die/pseuds/quiet_or_die
Summary: Kid is just trying to find One Piece. Unfortunately he keeps getting shoved into “The Worst Generation” even though those losers have lower bounties than his and he’s obviously the only one who knows how to be a proper pirate. And then he enters the New World and everything goes wrong.Update: 1st chapter is original fic. 2nd chapter is the same fic but with the dialect toned down!
Relationships: Eustass Kid/Trafalgar D. Water Law
Comments: 11
Kudos: 27
Collections: KidLaw Exchange 2020





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [doublejoint](https://archiveofourown.org/users/doublejoint/gifts).



> This fic is for the KidLaw Exchange 2020. My giftee is @stephanericherthanyou (tumblr). And I just found out that you’re doublejoint on AO3, which is hilarious because I literally just read something you write for the first time and loved it and was thinking I needed to read more by you! I really hope you enjoy this fic! It was supposed to only cover 3 events and be shorter but Kid hijacked the entire fic. It’s my first time writing Kid’s perspective so I hope I did it justice!
> 
> On the dialect: I am not Scottish so while I did research into the Scottish dialect and Scottish slang, it is not an accurate representation. If you are Scottish and see mistakes please point them out! I would love to learn more and definitely want to correct any errors. That being said I don’t always use the Scottish dialect. While Kid is apparently based on Scotland and the fic is from his perspective, I also wanted this fic to be approachable for people who are not very familiar with the dialect. I was also trying to be clever about how and when I use it. Honestly the Scottish dialect got heavier whenever Kid hijacked the story and fought me on where the plot should go next. If the mix of Scottish dialect with . . . my usual dialect? . . . ever strikes you as confusing or clumsy, please let me know where you had trouble and I will take another look at the section and try to fix it!
> 
> The only Wano spoilers I believe are really in here are about Killer, but we’ve known about what happened to him for quite a while. (If I'm wrong about spoilers let me know and I will add a warning.)
> 
> To repeat the summary: The first and second chapters are the exact same fic, but the first is the original while the second toned down the Socttish dialect.

Love at first sight was a crock of bull. Lust at first sight, yeah, sure. Didn’t take much. But love? To love someone you needed to trust them, and who the hell was stupid enough to trust someone after one look? The idiots that get killed, probably. 

So no, love was never on his agenda. It can’t be on the agenda if you want to be the one to find One Piece and become the fuecking Pirate King. Even if that wasn’t his ultimate goal, Kid didn’t really think much of falling in love. He had his crew and the occasional lay here and there and that was enough to make Kid happy. He’s a simple guy, chris’.

The baseline: Kid just didn’t pay attention to people other than himself and his crew unless he heard some insult thrown their way, then he paid attention to them long enough to bash in their feckin’ skulls and that was that. He wasn’t dumb though; he’d heard about big name marines and other pirates—only an eejit heads to Grandline and the New World without knowing who’s worth fighting—but he let Killer keep track of all that jobby. If Killer didn’t think it was worth bringing his attention to then it wasn’t worth hearing about. And Killer didn’t bother bringing stuff up unless it was either something Kid needed to know about right away or it was something he’d get a laugh out of. Kid didn’t have the fecking patience to hear about all the problems they might have and all the people they might face. If he listened to all that jobby his arse would still be sitting at the dock of the midden he was born on. 

So Kid didn’t know much about the “other” supernovas (like hell anyone was on the same level as Kid; don’t lump him in with people with lower bounties than him!) when he reached Sabaody. All he needed was the quick run through Killer gave him upon arrival. At that point Strawhat was the only one Kid gave a screw or nail about. Sure the others might sound impressive or interesting on paper, but that shit was written to sell and Kid didn’t much like being sold. Strawhat was only interesting because he made Kid laugh, and because he’d made Kid a side dish whenever he pulled some new shit and Kid had to make sure those damn menus put it straight. 

He fought with any Supernova that got in his path and focused on getting his ship prepped and amusing himself. All in all it was damn boring until that Auction House, and Trafalgar. Trafalgar who Kid knew by face but wouldn’t necessarily notice if Killer didn’t point him out. Trafalgar, who didn’t even bother to get up. Trafalgar who gave him the finger then _turned away_. Then Kid was interested in him. Interested in bashing his face in until he knew his place, that was. But not interested enough to jeopardize his crew by going aff on him right then and there. (Trafalgar probably knew that and that’s why he had the guts to do what he did, or so Kid had initially reasoned.) A guy who needed to learn his place, but not a guy whom Kid was going to go out of his way to learn when he had better things to do. Plus, emptying people’s pockets afterwards didn’t pay for even half the effort Kid went through educating them and feck if he valued his own teaching for so little. 

‘Course, ignoring the other pirate captain didn’t exactly help Kid keep his heid when each person that walked across that stage made him angrier and each sale made his smile stretch wider—too wide, the corners straining to keep it in place, the teeth gleaming in place of snarls or outright, full-bellied laughter. These people made him sick. It was comical how much they sickened him. He was a pirate for chrissake, and a particularly violent one. He had no trouble watching someone choke to death on their own blood, or watching their trollie-bags slither out of wide-gaping stomachs. And wasn’t it fecking hilarious that these people were so goddamn dumb that they actually thought pirates were the scum of land and sea? He wanted to laugh, he wanted to scream, he wanted to bash these people’s brains in. Each time Kid twitched with the desire to move into killing though, Killer ‘s stance also adjusted. If Kid fought, so would Killer. And that’s why Kid had to keep his heid here and nae do something rash. 

Killer pointed out some Strawhats who had entered as a distraction and Kid started thinking maybe coming to this shitshow was worth it after all, but their captain didn’t appear and then the auctioneer wheeled out a spirits-damned mermaid and the fragile illusion collapsed just like that. Everyone in that room knew that pirate or not, they were only dirt and bugs and shit underneath the heels of the Celestial Dragons. And that was enough of this donas farce for him. 

Of course, _that_ ’s when things got interesting. 

Not only was Straw Hat as daft as people said, but he gave Kid the pleasure of watching some numpty drop a Celestial Dragon to the floor! And now Kid knew exactly what kind of crew Strawhat had: one as loyal to him as Kid’s was to him. A crew willing to fight anyone their captain did. In other wards: someone finally worth his time fighting. And the chaos, the bloody chaos! The fecking pigs running from the slaughter! It made his blood warm. 

He only realized Trafalgar and his crew were still there when Luffy took notice of them. Kid wouldn’t have bothered explaining anything to them. What the feck kind o’ pirate gave away information for free like that to a rival? Trafalgar, apparently. Kid wondered just how the hell Strawhat had gotten in here in the first place without noticing the boggin marines; was he actually that oblivious? More importantly though, it didnae seem like he knew anything about Haki in that case. A pirate who didnae know about Haki wasn’t going tae cut it in the New World. And then he ignores the warning o’ not only his own crewmate, but o’ fecking Nico Robin herself to hyperfocus on a bear? These people really were mental. Clearly Kid was the only yin wha actually knew how tae be a fecking pirate captain here. Well, he _was_ going tae be Pirate King after all, sae he supposed that’s how it should be.

Kid had just decided coming to the auction house had been worthwhile after all, but it was time tae get goin’ when the Dark King himself appeared. And Strawhat proved himself tae be as daft as he looked, wha the hell decides tae be a pirate without knowing about all the members o’ the crew tha’ found One Piece? A complete bampot. And then Trafalgar addressed him for the foremaist time, but Kid didnae much mind. In fact, he’d such a good time he was even in the mood tae do something nice for the other crews. (According to Killer, Kid never does “nice,” as he’s a complete scunner.)

Fine, sae he wanted tae batter the Marines and have the spotlight for a bit! Fecking bite him! He has the highest bounty, he _should_ be the one the Marines are looking at. And after all the excitement he needed tae go batter _someone_. Not his fault the other two captains didnae know he was doin’ them a favor. (He would have thought less o’ them if they took him up on it though.) At least this way Killer could see Trafalgar’s power all up close an’ all. Kid knew the blonde was right curious about the abilities o’ the Ope Ope fruit. Not Kid, he liked his Devil Fruit just fine. Fecking Trafalgar, who’s he kiddin’ with the whole “I’ll take you out first” shtick? He’s just beggin’ tae be put in his place. But that was fine. Kid has never shied away from any sort o’ pissing contest. 

Fine, maybe Trafalgar’s power is barry. Whatever. As fun as it was watchin’ the marines freak oot aboot the talking head, there’s still nothin’ quite like the looks on people’s faces whin Kid turns their own weapons ‘gainst them. It’s a rush, every time. Though maybe Trafalgar got his rush from takin’ people’s body parts, hell if Kid knew. (He personally would rather have the accompanying blood with limb theft. There was just something aff about taking people’s limbs witho’ any red.)

No reason to stay ‘round once the military formation broke, but Strawhat’s matter-of-fact claim was enough to make Kid pause. Enough to make him give the other two captains his undivided attention. Hearin’ those words from someone else was fecking somethin’. He’d finally made it tae a place worth being at, a place where everyone died if they didnae make statements like that. This was better than any bloody heaven or hell. It felt like he’d never actually make it somewhere like this. What would all those fecking corps think o’ this? They seemed even stupider for laughin’, now tha’ Kid was here. Idiots wha couldnae even grasp the concept o’ anything bigger than themselves an’ their own boggin lives; wha were too daft tae actually understand they were kept like pigs in a pen, being fed only slop til they were fat enough fo’ the butcher. From here on oot, life was going tae be a hell lot more interesting. (Years efter, Kid would remember thinking this an’ have a laugh at ‘imself.)

  
* * *  
  


When he said life was aff tae be a hell lot more interestin’, he didnae actually mean tha’ he wanted tae meet a Warlord on top o’ everything else today. Whit the feck was going on? How come wid a bloody Warlord be ‘ere? 

Then Trafalgar hud tae shaw up too, bein’ all in the way an’ havin’ the gall tae just assume that Kid wid work with him, ‘n’ much as Kid wid like to get rid o’ him, a Warlord wis enough tae occupy him ‘n’ his entire crew. And well, Trafalgar came in handy in the end. Though now Kid owed him one for the warnin’ (and ‘twas bad enough that Killer wid give him a dixie for turning his back on a Warlord o’ a’ hings like that). Well, Kid wid just finish up the Warlord and then they’d be even. But of course Trafalgar had tae keep getting in the way ‘n’ it took a lot longer than it shuid have tae get that final blow in. But Kid had always been good at bringin’ attention tae himself. He knew e’eryone was watching, Trafalgar and his crew, whin he blocked that damn laser shot and then repelled that damn Warlord. And he knew ‘twas damn impressive. He’d like tae see Trafalgar try _that_. And this time Kid wasn’t aff tae make the mistake o’ turnin’ his back on Kuma. This time, Kid made sure he wis doon ‘n’ staying doon. 

Or, sae he thought. Turned out Kuma was a cyborg an’ could stand up no problem. And feck he’d ne’er hear the end o’ this from Killer, goddamn this wis aff tae hurt, at this distance he wasn’t going tae be able tae collect enough metal to block that laser again. And then there wis Trafalgar, sword embedded thro’ a gap that Kid’s own attack hud left. 

Feck if this guy made any sense. Giving a warning wis one thing, Kid might even warn someone whin he wis in a good mood, but Law straight up stopped Kuma afore Kid got blown up and that was . . . Kid didnae know whit that was other than weird. If it had been the other way ‘round Kid would’ve gone ahead and let Trafalgar get blown up. Any pirate would’ve done the same. And damn if Kid could wrap his heid aroond a pirate wha wouldnae let their competition git blown up. But whin Kid asked ‘bout it, Trafalgar evaded the question neatly ‘nough ‘n’ well, Kid let him. He’d rather learn more ‘bout the thing they just fought if Law wis sae willing tae share information with his rivals. 

But he didn’t get to learn any more from Law, a shame since it seemed Law was all ready ‘n’ eager tae share. Kid supposed he wouldnae have learned any more from Law than what he did when the second “Kuma” appeared anyway. And this time they didn’t even have their crews tae back them up, since they were taking care o’ the herd o’ marines coming up behind. At least this time roond, Kid was pretty sure he knew whit was going on.

“Trafalgar, this ain’t Kuma, is it?”

“What do you think, Eustass.” Trafalgar replied tersely, not even glancing at Kid (and Kid couldnae blame him as he hadn’t taken his eyes aff o’ th’ thing in front of them either).

“‘Tis a robot, yeah?” Kid asked, plan already formulating.

“Yeah. The marines’ newest weapon, it seems.”

“Heh.” Trafalgar glanced at him then, very briefly, but Kid’s eyes never left the robot. “Ah can work with tha’.” It was time to settle his debt to the Hearts’ captain. He sent out a magnetic pulse, lookin’ for the bolts an’ screws that had to make up the robot, but a laser interrupted him. “Oi, Trafalgar, make yersel useful ‘n’ distract him.” Kid ordered angrily, annoyed at the interruption.

“Don’t order me around.” Law snapped back instantly. “I thought you didn’t want me in the way.”

“Well sin ye’re aye in th’ damn wey anyway, mak’ yersel useful.” Kid snarled back, clenching his teeth tae keep the smile up ‘n’ tae stop himself from giving the other captain another order. Long behold though, Law finally smartened up and called for the robot’s attention with what looked like a lazy wave (and man, fine, Kid could appreciate howfur gallus ‘n’ calm ‘n’ confident he aye wis, even while bruised ‘n’ bloodied) and gave Kid time to start loosening things. Doing it this way was harder than just calling for scrap metal though. Luckily, Kid wis good at takin’ things apart, and Law was giving him as much time as he could, waiting till the last moment to dodge, so by the time Law did dodge, Kid had unscrewed enough that the robot’s legs gave out, and Law was quick to take advantage of that opening. His sword dug in but the robot dropped its mouth open almost simultaneously, preparing its cannon, but Kid hud already disconnected tha’ so it didnae do a whole lot o’ good. Law’s strike wasn’t enough to end the robot, but it didn’t take much longer now that it’d lost use o’ its legs ‘n’ mouth cannon and the two captains were working together. 

“We’re fere for fere.” Kid told Law, waitin’ for him tae disagree, an’ maybe he would’ve, he sure looked like he had something to say, but then their crews had caught up and no one wanted tae hang around long enough to be met by an admiral as well, so the Hearts’ captain just gave him a short nod. 

“Ah better naw see yer hackit mug again ‘till New World,” Kid shouted after the other captain as they parted ways, and Trafalgar actually chuckled at that. 

And then that was that.

After he and his crew reached safety, Kid remembered the big guy that had just shown up with the Hearts.

“Oi, Killer, wha was that big yin?”

Kid certainly didn’t remember him being with Law earlier.

“Former captain Jean Bart. He was a slave of the World Nobles.”

‘N’ that’s whin Trafalgar became the second rival captain o’ th’ Wirst Generation tae make Kid laugh. That took some goddamn baws. The Celestial Dragons wur aff tae be pissed aboot that. First they’re utterly embarrassed by Straw Hat, then another pirate goes ‘n’ takes what’s rightfully theirs? They weren’t just aff tae forget about that. 

“Trafalgar an’ Straw Hat . . . it’ll be fin ta catch up wi’ them in th’ New World.”

  
* * *  
  


It’s months—almost a full year, actually—after Sabaody, Marineford, and Fishman Island before Trafalgar Law entered Kid’s mind again. What else would you expect? Traveling the seas means you meet a lot of people, and even if just a few of them are interesting that still adds up to a hell of a lot of people, and a lot of those people end up dying anyway, besides Kid was trying to find One Piece. He’s busy. And he’s having a blast in the New World. Sure he lost an arm tae Red Hair, but hey it was whitevur. Now they just matched. (Red Hair and Eustass Kid hud also gotten gloriously blootered after the battle. It’s nae lik’ they wur fecking friends. Kid wis sure as hell aff tae pay him back for taking his arm but eh, it’s nae like he’s aff tae say na tae some bez after it’s clear he lost ‘n’ he’s bein’ sewn up lik’ a fecking rag doll. Sae, aye. Kid’s aff tae draw blood from Red Hair some day, but hell Red Hair wis aye pretty fecking gallus, a’richt? Sae enemy or nae, Kid doesn’t _hate_ the guy. Though man Red Hair is fecking skyrocket.) Until Kid paid Red Hair back in full anyway. Maybe he’d tak’ yin o’ his legs instead o’ his remaining arm though. . . . In any case, Kid wasn’t paying attention tae any o’ th’ ither members of Th’ Wirst Generation (and fine, maybe efter meetin’ some o’ them, Kid hud grudgingly decided he didnae mind bein’ lumped in wi’ these ither losers all that much) whin Killer made a derisive snort o’er th’ latest issue o’ the World Economy Newspaper.

“Eh?”

Killer handed over the newspaper instead of replying. 

**_100 Pirate Hearts for Title of Warlord: Surgeon of Death, Trafalgar Law Made Warlord_ **

_One week ago, The Surgeon of Death, Captain of the Heart Pirates and member of the Worst Generation, came to the Marine HQ asking to meet with whoever was in charge, claiming to have brought a “gift.” The gift was 100 hearts of high bounty pirates, and would be given in exch ange for the ti tle W a rlo rd. . . ._

The newspaper crumpled under Kid’s white knuckled fist, words distorting on the page. 

“ ‘tch, eh uh boggin clatty dingleberry.” Kid snarled, throwing the goosed newspaper intae a corner. Sae much fer Trafalgar bein’ worth anythin’, let alone belonging in Th’ Wirst Generation. Sellouts lik’ him ne’er deserved the title “pirate.” Warlords went against everything a pirate wis suppose tae be. They wur na better than th’ lowest o’ scum. And ‘ere Kid hud been looking forward tae seein’ that bastard again. Trafalgar better hope he didn’t run intae Kid again fur if he did, Kid wis aff tae rip his guts oot ‘n’ strangle him wi’ them.

“Deh read mo’ o’ this trash.” Kid snarled at Killer who’d retrieved the newspaper and was smoothing it back out. Killer sent him a look. And yeah, Kid couldn’t see it behind that helmet his first mate always wore, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t cop it fur damn wur Killer’s _looks_ potent. Sae Kid did the only thing a’body could dae when leveled yin o’ Killer’s signature looks, he stomped oot o’ th’ room ‘n’ found someone else tae yell at. And then he had a session and got rat-arsed. After that he went back tae nae givin’ Trafalgar any thought. 

  
* * *  
  


That is, Kid didnae think aboot Trafalgar til he ended up on th’ news wi’ Straw Hat. And feck if it didnae put Kid in a good mood. Straw Hat back in th’ game wis something Kid had been expecting and lookin’ forward to. And Trafalgar usin’ the government fur his own ends? Kid could root for that. A’body wha treated the World Government ‘n’ tis dogs the way they treated a’body else wis a hilarious ‘n’ satisfying thing fur any true pirate. That’s all ‘twas. An’ well, if Kid hud time he might have wondered how come he wis more excited about Trafalgar than Straw Hat, or how come he felt some kind o’ glee aboot the scheming o’ a rival crew, bit Kid didnae have time tae deal with jobby lik’ that so he put it oot o’ his mind after acknowledging that he was eager tae see whit resulted o’ Trafalgar ‘n’ Straw Hat’s apparent alliance. Whither it ended in disaster fur th’ ither captains or nae, Kid wis damn sure he’d git a laugh oot o’ whitever the result wis.

The possible ootcomes o’ an alliance o’ his ain wur much more urgent. Truthfully, Kid ne’er planned tae mak’ an alliance with a’body. Sure he’d heard all aboot howfur ye only hud two choices in the new world—become a subordinate under yin o’ the Four Emperors or form alliances—but he wis a rebel at his core ‘n’ hud aye planned tae become powerful enough tae dae things his way. Trafalgar hud been obnoxiously right back at Sabaody: Kid wis overly confident. He knew better now. He’d bin feckin’ jammy that th’ cost o’ his arrogance ‘n’ ignorance hud bin an arm ‘n’ nae a member—or more—of his crew. Really, he’d have tae remember tae thank Red Hair for that after he divested that man o’ anither limb. Nae that he’d use words sin he had some fecking sel’ respect. Red Hair’s smart enough: he’ll git the message whin Kid just takes a limb from him ‘n’ leaves his crewmates ‘n’ ship be. Hell, even if the guy wis glaikit he couldn’t miss the gratitude Kid wis showing him sin the Kid Pirates hud a clear reputation even afore entering the New World on account o’ their scorched earth approach tae revenge ‘n’ skirmishes. In the meantime, Kid didn’t plan on making any more glaikit mistakes. People could say whitever the hell they wanted aboot him, but he took his role as captain seriously. He wis responsible for his crew. He bought their loyalty wi’ his own loyalty, an’ even whin he had failed them by charging intae things unprepared, they had stood by him. He wasn’t aboot tae gob in their faces again.

Figuratively speaking. Right now Killer was damn close to Kid literally spitting in his face with his diteit “be friendly, say please and thank you, don’t cut any limbs off no matter how much you want to” spiel. For feck’s sake, Killer was Kid’s first mate, nae his bloody mither! Unfortunately, Killer did and said as he saw fit. And damn it if Kid wouldn’t stand by him anyway, like he’d stood by Kid. Kid had told Killer not to invite that turd Scratchman Apoo to their hideout, even if they were considering an alliance. Kid had wanted to meet with Hawkins first. If there was a falling oot between the three captains, Kid fully expected it to be Apoo’s fault. He’d wanted tae sound oot some contingency plans. 

In the end, Killer paid the price himself just like Kid had. And damnit if that didn’t kill him. The captain should always pay the cost in full na matter whither ‘twas ultimately the captain’s mistake or a subordinate’s because whin it comes doon tae it, the captain always has the final word sae the mistake is always his in the end. After all, Kid sat doon wit’ that Apoo bas ‘n’ ‘greed tae an alliance wit’ him as well as Hawkins. With Strawhat and Trafalgar both back in play, Kid knew things would escalate, and the only way to keep ahead in the New World with rivals like those was to move just as quickly. Being overly cautious to the point o’ falling behind was just as dangerous as overconfidence in the New World where every crew, marine or pirate, wis watching for the slightest sign o’ weakness or hesitancy. Kid had always known being a pirate was dangerous, but he ‘n’ his crew hud bin walking on mortar shells ‘n’ ashes their entire lives. They wur dangerous too ‘n’ they’d bring hell tae a’body wha underestimated them. (As Kaido ‘n’ his followers eventually learned. . . .)

  
* * *

Red Hair seemed a logical target since Kid had fought him once already. If Kid wis being honest, despite whit he’d learned he wasn’t the patient type whin it came tae rematches. And damnit if it hadn’t bin fun fightin’ Shanks, even if he hud gotten his arse handed to him! Besides that if Kid failed again . . . Red Hair was a wild card but after that first clash Kid had concluded that he really was a decent pirate and captain. Kid would pay for a second failure, but Shanks wouldn’t completely cripple the Kid pirates. Red Hair liked contest. That much had been clear from Kid’s first clash with the guy. Also, Shanks literally told them that. Kid wis pure raging whin the guy just took his arm. He may have lost bit he wasn’t aff tae tak’ Red Hair’s scornful derision. Na, Kid hud met that wi’ a snarl ‘n’ shouted something along th’ lines o’:

“Howfer did a body like ye git made an Emperor a’ th’ Sea?! Ye too bleedin’ yellow-bellied ta tak me fuckin’ heid aff proper likeh pirate should!?”

Shanks had laughed at that and Kid took insult to that too but didn’t get very far with his quite massive fleshwound. He didnae _faint_ or _bygae oot._ He went doon fightin’! Later, Shanks poured Kid a dram and told him how empty the seas were these days compared to when he sailed on Roger’s ship as an apprentice. Said ‘twas more fun whin the seas were full o’ up ‘n’ comin’ crews oot tae tak’ his heid. He bloody well told Kid that he looked forward to their next rammy but Kid better last longer next time.

A loss to Red Hair was no small thing. It came with plenty bree. Losing a limb was nae small thing for any pirate. The legendary pirate captain Red-Leg Zeff had by all accounts either died or retired after losing a shank. But Red Hair wasn’t Big Mom or Kaido who wanted a’body under their control or dead. If Kid lost to Kaido or Big Mom, that was it. Chances were basically zero that he or his crew could ever come back from that. As fur Blackbeard, wha fancied his-sel th’ new emperor . . . well even Kid git the willies from that guy. Plus, he wasn’t aff tae tak’ something that wis rightfully Straw Hat’s or Marco the Phoenix’s. Sae Kid hud ‘greed tae Red Hair being their target. His biggest concern wis that Trafalgar ‘n’ Luffy would end up gunning fur the same target ‘n’ git in the damn road lik’ they hud a tendency tae, bit after whit went doon at Punk Hazard Kid hud put it all in on betting that their target wis ultimately Kaido. Ah donas dubh, Hawkins hud figured the same thing. An’ th’ events at Dressrosa confirmed it fur them. And feck if they weren’t pul’in ahead with a victory lik’ that! Kid wis impressed, bit nae too worried. After all, his alliance wis ready tae shift ahead wi’ their own schemes. Or well, they wur. . . .

. . . unfortunately, Kid hud ne’er hud th’ best luck. Pair that wi’ Grandline’s infamous unpredictability, ‘n’ th’ result wis fecking Kaido his-sel falling from the sky.

  
* * *  
  


And then Kid only hud his-sel fur company.

  
* * *

He didnae ken whit happened tae his crew. If any o’ them hud gotten away, howfur many wur dead, howfur many wur taken by Kaido. He tried telling his-sel he didn’t need any crew members wha wur weak enough tae git themselves murdered, bit it’s nae exactly like he hadn’t lost either. It’s nae lik’ he hadn’t failed again as a captain. Whither a crew member wis weak or not didnae matter anymo’ whin ‘twas clear thair captain wis too weak.

  
* * *  
  


‘twas kind o’ funny howfur perspectives changed. Maybe Kid coudnae beat Kaido but Kaido hadn’t gubbed him yit. Kid hud aye known that th’ yin law o’ th’ New World wis that the Strong Live ‘n’ the Weak Die, and he’d always believed that a’body he beat wis Weak ‘n’ git whitevur they deserved, that he wis better than them somehow. Bit now . . . Well, he’d aye hud a grudging respect fur they whit held tae their beliefs even tae their deaths. Sae, sae many people hud laughed at Kid ‘n’ his crew ‘n’ he’d made them pay with blood ‘n’ bane, and almost all of them hud been begging for his forgiveness by the end. Almost, bit nae all. And here Kid wis now, the loser. But he wasn’t breaking. If he broke, that would truly be th’ end o’ th’ Kid Pirates. He owed it tae them ‘n’ hi-sel tae defy Kaido till th’ end.

He wasn’t aff tae lose. Kid wis aff tae show Kaido. He wis still Strong. He would still Live. 

  
* * *  
  


“Oi, tell ‘em . . . go on, tell ‘em: You idiots better run ‘cuz up till now you’ve simply been playing little pirate games, Eustass Captain Kid.”

Whit a joke. Kid wanted tae laugh, sae he did, loudly. ‘ere he is bein’ lumped in wi’ Trafalgar ‘n’ Straw Hat again, as if they’re friends or something just because they’re all in Th’ Wirst Generation. Well fine then, if Kid wis aff tae be part o’ this scabby gig then he wouldnae hold back. He’d be the Wirst o’ them all.

“Looks tae me that ye’r _scared_.” Kid growled with a sneer. “Strongest man in the world mah arse.” 

Kaido is on him in a heartbeat, worked into a greater rage but Kid isn’t done yet and shouts over him. “Wha wis thare at ‘The War o’ th’ Best,’ huh? Trafalgar ‘n’ Straw Hat wur thare, whuar wur ye? Hidin’ in th’ shadows lik’ aye ye donas coward!”

There was seawater then. There was water and weakness and no air no air no air. And there was salt and open wounds and steel. _Andnoair._

And the first thing Kid did when it stopped and Kaido loomed over him and he got enough air back in his lungs was to smirl at the supposed emperor. “If ye’r sae much better than me, than whatcha daein’ doon ‘ere wi’ th’ mauks makin’ it personal? It’s cause ye’r weak, Kaido. Yer time has bygane same as Whitebeard’s. It’s our turn now.”

And feck it all, Kid wis _proud_ now, that he wis one o’ th’ Worst Generation. He wis proud tae be lumped in with Trafalgar ‘n’ Strawhat.

“Big words from a captain who hasn’t accomplished anything himself,” Kaido sneered back.

“Nae yit,” Kid gritted out. “Sae how come yer sae obsessed wi’ me? Ah ken A’m braw bit I dinnae pump a body wha looks like yin leather-faced, bawbag-eyed, huffy fuckbumper.”

That was his last coherent sentence, or thought, for a long time.

Because then there was pain. Pain and water and _no air_ and broken bones and blood and laughter and pain. But he held out. He couldn’t remember if he had any reasons besides rage and spite, but he didnae need more reasons than those. He was Eustass Captain Fecking Kid, one of the Wirst Generation and he wouldnae going to let things end here. He wisnae going to let Trafalgar and Straw Hat pull away and leave him , forgotten and defeated and _nobody_ at all. He’d show Kaido and them and fecking Apoo and everyone. 

  
* * *  
  


When delirium took hold, Kid dreamed of tattooed hands and gold piercings and smirking lips. 

_Ah wantin’ tae see it_ , Kid admitted to himself, _whitevur else Trafalgar has planned._ Strawhat had given Kid a lot of laughs, but ultimately that guy just did what he wanted selfishly. He took a stand in singular moments. Seemed like everyone else in the “Wirst Generation” were sell outs or working in secret. But Trafalgar. Trafalgar plotted Doflamingo’s downfall. Trafalgar was setting things into motion. Trafalgar was openly defiant and purposely set out to destroy what he could of this rotten world. Kid wanted to see what both Straw Hat and Trafalgar did, but he wanted to see what Trafalgar accomplished most of all. And ah donas dubh! Kid wanted this world to change. He wanted it to be broken down and the rusted out bits thrown away and the neglected gears given new oil. He wanted to see things rebuilt. Guess he and Trafalgar were more similar than Kid had thought after all. For all that they were pirates too, Trafalgar was at his core a surgeon and Kid was at his core a mechanic and neither of them could be content with just ignoring the worn out, rotting parts of this world.

  
* * *  
  


The one Kid sees next isn’t Trafalgar, but Strawhat. Maybe it’s better that way. Kid doesn’t want Trafalgar to see him here in this position. Strawhat on the other hand doesn’t treat Kid any differently. (And maybe, just maybe Kid feels a bit o’ relief somewhere about that. Not that it would’ve mattered if Strawhat _did_ treat him differently, since Kid is sure as hell nae going tae lose tae the guy.) Really though, Strawhat may be strong but he’s still doaty. Or maybe he just dinnae care to fight any way but physically. Kid though, he’s ne’er bin able tae keep his geggy shut sae whin they git in trauchle wit’ Master Dobon that foremaist day, it’s Kid who gets them oot o’ trauchle, keeps Luffy fae getting his damn heid choaped aff, fightin’ back wit’ logic. “Whaur’s th’ proof?” 

And when Luffy picks up the old man and walks away first, Kid follows with the first real smile he’s had in a long time. Strawhat’s a handful, sure enough, and they’re still rivals, but Kid’s got his back anyway. Here, they’re both losers. Here, they’re both still Strong. And somehow, wherever Stawhat goes he manages to drum up some excitement and hope, since even in a place like that auction house, even in a place like this, where bodies were clearly divided into the righteous jailers and the downtrodden prisoners, the lines began to blur as things slowly started to change. 

The smile doesn’t last long though. And seriously, Strawhat attracts all sorts of people an’ trouble, like Caribou the slimy bastard. Kid’s nae in the mood to tolerate nashgab (like he ever is) and feck if he’ll stand by an’ be accused o’ running away. Kid has never run away in his life. Sure he didnae stick around tae deal wi’ Big Mom, bit only because he’d already done whit he’d needed tae do. And like hell he’d let Big Mom git the credit for his missing arm. Most importantly o’ all though, it was time to make it clear where he ‘n’ Strawhat stood. Kid wisnae sitting ‘round fer some sort of rescue from Strawhat and he certainly didnae need an alliance like Trafalgar had. (He tried the alliance thing an’ man did he regret it. He wisnae bout tae make the same mistake.) He’d get out o’ ‘ere on his own, and he’d take Kaido doon on his own too. Trafalgar and Strawhat may have been aiming fer Kaido first, bit Kaido made things personal and Kid was calling dibs. 

He left Strawhat there after that. It’s nae like they were friends or allies anyway. Just two pirates in the same generation. Kid wasn’t going to wait around until Trafalgar plans went into motion. Strawhat was here so it was time to leave if he was going to beat Kaido first.

  
* * *  
  


Of course, there were some things more important than notoriety or revenge, even for Kid. And one of those things was Killer. Killer, who Kid had no trouble recognizing despite the bandages that replaced his signature helmet. Killer who was in chains and being led to the jail Kid had just broken out of, without even trying to put up a fight. Killer, who for the foremaist time didnae leap into battle the instant Kid did. Killer who kept _laughing._ It was wrong. All of this was so very wrong, and Kid _didnae ken whit tae do._

But Killer had ne’er willingly left Kid and Kid had ne’er willingly left Killer ‘n’ nae matter what changed, that ne’er would. And he needed tae know what happened. Needed tae know how many pieces he would have tae leave Kaido’s body in. So he let himself be taken back tae that donas prison. Didnae even fight back when he was chained up and submerged. If Killer wisnae going tae fight back then neither was Kid, twas as simple as tha’. If Killer wis going tae let himself die ‘ere then at the very least he wouldnae die alone. But Kid still took as deep of a breath as he could ‘fore going under. It wisnae exactly a conscious decision. When you spend yer life fighting not just tae survive but tae live, it’s hard tae le’ go an’ just stop. Even if the water was muffled, Kid couldnae jus’ ignore whit people were saying. Not if ‘ere was a chance he’d hear wha’ had been done tae his first mate an’ best friend. 

The people in the Wirst Generation just dinnae make sense. How the feck should Strawhat care ‘bout Kid? Really, Trafalgar an’ Strawhat made the least ‘mount o’ sense o’ anyone. Foremaist Trafalgar, now Strawhat. How did either o’ them care ‘bout anyone other than themselves an’ their own crews?

“I’m the one who’ll decide where I die,” huh?

Was this really how Killer had decided tae go? Had Kid failed so badly as captain tha’ Killer would rather die than keep fightin’?

  
* * *  
  


Whether Killer had truly chosen to die or not, both of them were pulled back up in the end because they were “friend’s of Luffy.” Kid didnae really care ‘bout Strawhat anymore though, nae when his first mate was still laughing ‘n’ had tears in his eyes. Na, the only thing that mattered now wis finding whoever he could, whichever members o’ his crew wur left, and getting them ou’ o’ ‘ere. Kid wisnae giving up an’ he wisnae go’in’ tae risk his crew members’ safety again. Strawhat, Trafalgar . . . Kid couldnae care about them. The only thing he had room for in his mind an’ will right now was his crew. Kaido, Apoo, Hawkins, they were all going doon. Kid was going tae take them doon ‘n’ whoever else he had tae ‘til Killer remembered he was Strong too ‘n’ decided tae Live. If the first mate faltered, it was the role o’ the captain tae stay strong. Even if it seemed childish or meaningless or if it hurt, th’ captain had tae keep moving onward, tae keep holdin’ onta hope. 

  
* * *  
  


Of course, it’s not as if it’s easy to find his missing crew. Kid isn’t dumb enough to just run around Wano searching for them. Kid finds his ship instead and he and Killer steal it back and work on repairing it and themselves. Honestly, the ship is easy enough to repair despite the heavy damage. For all that Kid excels at destroying things, he has always been equally skilled at fixing things as well. Killer joked that as long as he managed to calm Kid doon, he knew Kid could fix whitever he decimated during his tempers. So Kid did just tha’. He repaired his boat then made himself a new prosthetic arm (after digging all the rust he could find tha’ had worked into the remnants o’ his flesh arm from whin th’ old prosthetic had been ripped off), and na, the prosthetic arm didnae operate solely by Kid’s power because how doaty would tha’ be? He didnae need a limb tha’ would become nothin’ better than deadweight the instant it got wet wit’ seawater. During these projects Killer did his own work on the other side of the boat, an’ Kid let him have his space. Whin ship an’ prosthetic held up tae Kid’s high standards (say what you will but Kid made things tae _last_ an’ take heavy damage) and various stress tests, he had a plan. He always did do his best planning when his hands had somethin’ tae work on. Kid made Killer a new helmet an’ left it where Killer would see it, then he waited. Kid knew _Killer,_ no matter how he’d changed. The helmet was the foremaist step an’ would tell Kid whit he needed to know ‘fore he proceeded with any variation o’ his plan. Kid didnae do _gentle_ , but he could do _caution_.

Killer took the helmet and started wearing it again. And Kid gradually came closer, orbiting the spaces Killer was in but without speaking or looking at him, just working on his own thing in a closer proximity. Until Killer threw a wrench at his noggin. 

Then Kid looked at him awright, he glared at him an’ threw the wrench back at Killer. There was a tense silence as they stared each other doon. Then Kid’s lips stretched into a crazed smile, promising blood, an’ Killer stood up in one smooth movement and stalked over.

“The ship’s been fixed. What are we still doing here?”

Kid shrugged. “Ya tell me.”

The moment grew more taut, like a balloon that’s bulging with too much air and is one breath away from exploding. Then Killer drops to the floor next to Kid and asks, 

“What’s the plan, Captain.”

* * *

And then they take back what’s theirs. They find Heat and Wire first. They don’t find everyone, but more of them than Kid had dared hope.

  
* * *  
  


“I’m coming.” Killer tells Kid. Neither of them have talked about revenge, but Kid always avenges his own an’ that’s never going to change. So the captain heads tae battle an’ his crew goes wit’ him an’ Kid thinks ‘bout how much stronger his crew’s will is than Kaido’s. Kaido wha gits so scared he goes after up an’ comin’ pirates through the back door, nae even havin’ the decency tae come through the front. He thinks ‘bout how Kaido has nae right tae call himself a pirate or captain anymore. 

  
* * *  
  


And then there’s Strawhat ‘n’ Trafalgar but all three o’ them are on their ships, with their crews, on the ocean. Meeting again like they should be, like Kid had looked forward to. An’ even though Big Mom had joined forces wit’ Kaido, they were back on the sea where they belonged an’ adjusted their sails accordingly, an’ Kid fell back into the same rhythm with Trafalgar and Strawhat that th’ three of them had had back in Saobody. And they dinnae give Kid an inch, an’ he dinnae give them one either. ‘course, Strawhat has always been somewhat distractible, like some small bairn, an’ his attention is caught soon ‘nough by whitever drama the samurai have goin’ on. Trafalgar uses the lull tae shoot Kid a look, an’ somehow Kid just knows he’s askin’ _Did Strawhat rope you into this alliance?_

“No. Ah’m gun tae be the yin tae take Kaido’s heid.”

And there are inked hands and gold piercings but no signature smirk. Just a short nod of acknowledgement ‘fore Trafalgar heads back to his sub. And Kid has nae reason for it but damnit if he isn’t a wee disappointed (if also relieved). But then, Trafalgar looks back o’er his shoulder and says, “Don’t get in my way.”

And Kid grins, in a mixture o’ pleasure and fury, an’ shoots back, “Ye stay oota mine.”

  
* * *  
  


Hard to get in Trafalgar’s way when he’s fucked aff tae wha knows whaur, but Kid cannae blame him for goin’ somewhere his ally is nae because Strawhat and Pirate Hunter Zoro are fannybaws. But they do help Kid find Apoo an’ he’s happy tae get in the way o’ that jessie. If he happens tae help out Strawhat an’ his first mate then that jus’ means he’s squared up whitever he might owe Strawhat. And from there it’s the usual chaos.

  
* * *

They win. Kid gets Kaido’s head. He dinnae do it alone, and he dinnae do it without bait, but there’s nothin’ dishonorable about that. He’s a pirate after all. Whoever gets the prize last is the one that wins. An’ it’s nae as if he really forced Oden, Yamato, whatever-his-name-was into it. The guy was all “join forces with Straw Hat an’ his allies,” and “kill mah da,” and “open Wano’s borders,” or whitever. So maybe Kid didnae tell him he wasnae actually part o’ the alliance, it all worked out in th’ end. There’s some arguing ‘bout wha gets credit for whit. Strawhat dinnae care ‘bout that when there’s food tae consume (seriously what was _with_ that guy). Trafalgar dinnae care either. Muttered somesuch ‘bout how the lower his bounty is compared tae Kid’s an’ Strawhat’s, the more flexibility he has tae operate as he wants. (And Kid fully plans on finding out whit the feck Trafalgar is plottin’ this time, whether Trafalgar is willing tae share or nae. Kid’s tired o’ being used like a pawn an’ it’s time he disillusioned Trafalgar o’ that fore he an’ his crew find themselves with ‘nother emperor fallin’ doon on top o’ them an’ their base.) In the end, it’s agreed that Kid will take most of the credit for Kaido. The samurai convince Yamato-Oden that if they take full credit it’ll make opening the country and dealing with the World Government more difficult, and as long as the citizens of Wano know about all of those who fought against Kaido, it doesn’t really matter. ‘course, in the end it dinnae matter wha’ they agreed on because the damn World Government assumes Kid joined the damn alliance an’ publishes tha’ in the World Economy News Paper, the foremaist issue tha’ Wano receives from the world they were closed aff from. 

And Kid dinnae wan’ tae trust anyone or be part o’ any alliance aft what happened with Apoo and Hawkins, but he also hates ‘ow tha’ means he agrees with Apoo, wha was all “pirate alliances end terribly and so it’s better to betray everyone from the start.” Apoo was wrong anyway, the Pirate-Mink-Samurai alliance ends amicably ‘nough, though Kid isnae sure whether Trafalgar an’ Luffy are still official allies or nae since when he asks Trafalgar shrugs and answers with a cryptic “who knows,” an’ Strawhat laughs and says, “we’re friends!” In any case, no body goes anywhere for a while. The Strawhats want to party, Trafalgar wants to examine those who ate the bad Smilies, and Kid isnae goin’ anywhere if there’s a chance tha’ white’er was done tae Killer can be undone.

* * *  
  


The second issue of the World Economy News Paper comes with the announcement that Wano is planning to open its borders, and that Eustass Kid and Trafalgar Law have replaced Kaido and Big Mom as Emperors of the Sea. It’s barry news and ‘nough tae start another party. The Kid pirates go all oot an’ laugh loudly as anyone an’ Kid’s more relieved tae see this than he’ll e’er admit. Hell, he dinnae even yell at Wire, Heat, an’ Zoro for drinking all the beer an’ sake during their contest. Kid puts on a show o’ celebrating for long enough that Killer relaxes an’ finally joins the celebration instead of shadowing Kid, wha should be celebrating this. He’s fuckin’ proud o’ himself and his crew. He just dinnae want tae be in close quarters with the Strawhats, Hearts, samurai, an’ minks anymo’. Besides, the party has moved further inland an’ Kid’s had more than enough o’ being inland. The sea has never stopped callin’ him and it’s a relief tae be able tae let go o’ resistance an’ just go sit by it.

And that’s where Trafalgar finds him hours later.

“So this is where you went.”

It’s a courtesy that Law bothers announcing himself like this. Kid dinnae bother replying. He’s nae in the mood tae deal wit’ stupid courtesies. Law, of course, takes this as an invitation an’ sprawls out in the sand next to where Kid is sitting. It’s like deja vu almost, seein’ Law act as boldly casual as he was at Sabaody. 

“Whisky?” Kid finally turns tae the Hearts Captain then. The hand closest to Kid dangles a full whisky bottle in offering, while the other cradles another bottle that he’s clearly been drinking from.

“Whaur’d ye git those?” Kid asks as he accepts the bottle, noting that it had nae been tampered wit’. (Well, it dinnae _look_ like it had been, but wit’ Law’s powers wha knew.) “Ah thought Roronoa an’ Wire drank it a’.”

“I learned to keep a stash hidden from Roronoa.” Law replies dryly, at odds with the mischief in his eyes. Kid dinnae open the bottle until the other captain’s gaze turns seaward. “It calls me too, you know. The sea.” Law’s voice is soft, barely discernible o’er the hiss and spray o’ the surf. “Funny how it does, despite the devil fruit.”

Kid opts tae drink instead o’ reply. Opts tae keep his eyes on the ever-constant, ever-changing sight o’ the open sea. He’d dreamed o’ it all this time. Dreamed o’ the swell o’ the waves and the sprays of salt. Dreamed o’ its rockin’ midst dreams o’ tattooed hands an’ gold earrings an’ smirks.

The sea has always called Kid. He’s never liked stayin’ landlocked fer long. He wouldnae give up his devil fruit power for anything but those first months aft he’d eaten it had been hard, him havin’ tae come tae terms with the sea’s rejection. Well, so he’d thought o’ it ‘til Killer pointed oot tha’ the sea wanted tae keep those with devil fruits an’ that should mean the sea loved users mor’ than a’body else. Kid had laughed at tha’. Had told Killer he better be careful then as everybody knew the sea was the jealous sort an’ would be none too pleased when his first mate fished him oot o’ it. 

“Ye cannae use me nor mine.” Kid says aft an eternity o’ watching seawater, lettin’ it sing tae him like he was a wee bairn still. Aft turning his gaze tae watch Trafalgar’s frown form.

“I don’t use people, Eustass.” The words are cold and hard. Non-negotiable. Trafalgar’s eyes are just the same. “Whatever you believe of me, I am not like _them_. I am not Kaido or Big Mom, and I am certainly not Doflamingo or the World Government.” It is nae ‘til Doflamingo’s name tha’ there is any heat behin’ Law’s tone, but tha’ heat burns with so much intensity tha’ the end o’ his sentence leaves only charcoal, ash, an’ smoke. His eyes dinnae change though. They’re as unforgivin’ as the chains ‘round Kid’s wrists, as the saltwater he’d almost drowned in, as Kaido’s hand pushing doon.

Kid’s mouth is dry. He takes a mo’ tae drink. “Good. Be a right shan ta haf ta kill ye.” 

Law’s eyes widen slightly at that. A chuckle breaks through the return of his smirk. “As if you could,” he tosses back, a challenge given in good humor though the sharp white o’ teeth is a stark reminder tha’ if the challenge is taken up they will bring blood an’ death.

The white o’ Kid’s teeth gleam back, stark white in his answering grin.

The mo’ stretches out, the possible danger electrifying blood, sendin’ it rushing faster an’ hotter. But neither o’ them act an’ the thrum o’ violence settles under the steady crash o’ water, enough tae emphasize the sting o’ salt withoot o’ertakin’ it. Kid drinks some more, catching up tae Trafalgar whose bottle is almost empty. An anesthetic fo’ the pain tae come. 

“Can yeh fix it? Whit they done ta Killer?”

Law frowns and considers the remnants of whisky in his bottle, turning it so it surges as if imitating the sea’s tide. Kid grits his teeth, willin’ himself tae wait when all he wants is tae tear the answer oot o’ Trafalgar’s throat in a spray o’ blood.

“Not completely.” Law’s eyes search for his reaction to that, unwilling to say more than that yet. Heaviness settles in Kid’s limbs, as if it’d n’er left. He’s nae surprised, but damnit all if he had nae been hoping. Whitever Law sees in his reaction is ‘nough tae convince him tae continue. “I can minimize the cachinnation factor.” Kid’s knuckles go white, but ‘fore he can snarl oot his ignorance, Law explains, “the laughter. I can’t fix it entirely. He’ll still laugh occasionally when he doesn’t want to, likely during times of great emotional stress. But it’ll be less frequent and easier for him to stop when it does occur.” Kid takes a deep breath an’ loosens his flesh hand muscle by muscle. Law’s words keep coming though, faster, though precisely enough that they don’t trip over each other. “The Strawhats’ doctor is working on a medicine that can help too. A pill Killer can take whenever he feels himself slipping and needs some help keeping control of his body’s reactions. It won’t—Chopper is a conscientious doctor. His dream is to create a cure for every disease. He’s very knowledgeable about the side effects and unintended consequences of medicine. He won’t let anyone have any medicine he’s developed unless he’s absolutely sure it’s safe. He’ll make sure it helps Killer control his laughter without negatively impairing his motor abilities or anything.” Law takes a breath and the words stop suddenly, waiting for an explosion. Kid stays silent. “I can explain what I’m doing in greater detail, if you want. Chopper is always willing to explain his medicines in greater detail as well.”

“Nah. Ah dinnae need ta know.” Kid knows for a fact tha’ Killer is gettin’ the full explanations an’ asking whitever questions need tae be asked. Kid winna understand any o’ the medical or scientific jargon. Killer will tell him whitever he needs tae know. Kid’s angry ‘bout all o’ this, sure. But he’s nae going tae take it oot on the people willing tae help. There’s nae many doctors tha’ will see pirates, an’ even fewer medical facilities tha’ will admit them. Good doctors are hard tae find. And he knows ‘nough tae know tha’ Trafalgar an’ Tony Chopper are among the best. 

“He won’t be able to swim or eat another devil fruit. I’ve been researching devil fruits but there’s still not a lot anyone understands about how they work.” Law pauses again and Kid wonders if that’s normal. He didnae get the impression tha’ Law was yin wha would pause this much. Then ‘gin, it’s nae like they’ve spent ‘nough time together for Kid tae know whit Law’s normal speakin’ habits are. 

“I have some of Caesar’s notes,” Law continues. “Most of his research was destroyed with his lab on Punk Hazard, but I was there a while and have some notes of my own. I’ll let you know if those ever lead anywhere.”

Oh. That’s . . . Kid does nae know whit Law tellin’ him tha’ is other than stupid. “Yeh haf a death wish, Trafalgar? ‘ere Ah thought yeh were smart.” Kid’s words are scornful an’ mockin’. Aft all tha’ happened, he’s pissed aff at Trafalgar’s an’ Strawhat’s easy trust. 

“I did actually.” Law’s words fall to the ground like Kaido did, creating holes where they land, unmovable by anyone but themselves. But Law continues, gaze and words steady, “I still do at times.” When Law pauses this time, it’s a deadly one. The mo’ when a snake is sizing you up ‘fore it strikes. “And I know _exactly_ what I’ve risked.”

Kid scoffs an’ drains his whisky, hopin’ Trafalgar will git the message an’ clear oot. And Trafalgar does stand but he does nae leave. No, he looms o’er Kid.

“Some things are worth the risk, Eustass. No matter how many times things go wrong.” There’s a certain gravitas tha’ comes with the words o’ someone wha knows exactly whit they’re talking ‘bout, which the words o’ those who do nae lack. Law’s every word is steeped with tha’ gravitas. Kid remembers Killer commenting on the Surgeon of Death. On how odd it is tha’ there was nae a thing on Law ‘til his first bounty. A common trait o’ someone who had tae go intae hidin’ from the World Government, Killer had said.

Kid stays silent an’ listens to Trafalgar walk away. 

Then it’s just him an’ the sea.

  
* * *  
  


All things come to an end. Especially when yer a pirate with another island tae get tae. The Whitebeards had already left, giving the Minks a lift back home as they went. The Strawhats had left the day ‘fore last. An’ now ‘twas the Hearts wha was leavin.’ Kid couldnae wait any longer or he’d lose white’er chance this is. Tae be honest, Kid’s nae sure whit this is. But he still dreams o’ ocean waves an’ tattooed hands an’ smirks. He dreams o’ Law leanin’ o’er Killer tellin’ him he needs tae move the helmet, but Killer can turn his head if he dinnae wan’ Law tae see his face. An’ Law’s voice is nae soft at all. It’s cool an’ professional, but his hands are sae careful. Their touch sae fleeting they’re ‘most nae there. An’ Kid _wants_.

Sae he pulls on his big man britches an’ gets his arse o’er to that eyesore o’ a pirate ship. An’ marches up tae where Law is talkin’ tae his crew, wha see him comin’ an’ clear oot awful quick. Law turns, relaxed as e’er. An’ damnit if Kid dinnae wan’ tae slug him. Damnit if Kid dinnae wan’ tae haul him in close an’ snog him. Sae he gits straight tae the point. 

“Ah wan’ in,” Kid demands, “whitever ye’r planning fo’ the world government, Ah wan’ in.”

It’s the second time he’s managed to surprise the other captain. A fact tha’ Kid is proud o’. It’s ‘bout time he started ketchin’ up. Law and Strawhat have surprised him too many times than is fair. 

“I thought you weren’t doing alliances ever again, Eustass.” Trafalgar points out.

“Jes’ work me intae yer plans. Ye’r smart ‘nough tae be able tae do tha’, are yeh nae?”

Trafalgar frowns an’ though he stands as tall an’ straight as ever, it seems like a weight has returned. Kid frowns back. He dinnae want tae do this. He’d had more than ‘nough o’ being vulnerable. But damnit if he knew tha’ was nae fair. Law was brave ‘nough tae be vulnerable fer no reason a’ all other than he ‘pparently thought Kid was worth the risk. Sae Kid squares his shoulders, looks Law in th’eye an’ confronts things head on like he always done.

“Killer said Ah should try ‘gin. He said Ah was right ‘bout Apoo. Said he shouldnae’ve pushed me intae agreeing tae anythin’ an’ he should’ve had more trust in me as captain. Said I had tae start trusting me own gut ‘gin an’ stop cripplin’ meself worrying over all o’ them.” Kid pauses here, making sure the message is clear. ( _I want to trust you. I want us to work._ ) “He called me a right eejit an’ reminded me tha’ ‘failing means yer playin’.’ But I dinnae trust mahself yet. . . . Ah think ye know wha’ that’s like.” 

Law nods, agreeing so easily, as if that’s somethin’ that’s normal ‘n’ reasonable instead o’ the fatal weakness tha’ a captain should ne’er carry, let alone admit tae sae readily. “I’m not going to give myself a headache trying to factor you in. And I’m sure as hell not going to _wait_ for you, Eustass. The world isn’t going to wait till you’re ready or not.”

An’ Kid is damn sure that’s a rejection in e’ery possible way. He wants tae be angry, he _is_ angry, bit he’s jes’ sae tired o’ everything. He jes’ wants tae go an’ be alone. But Law is nae done yet.

“So hurry up and catch up already.”

“Whi—”

“It’s not like you to be so slow, Eustass.”

Oh.

It hurts in a way tha’ pisses him aff tha’ Law just expects him tae suck it all up an’ act like, like time just rewoond an’ none o’ this had happened, but actually that’s nae whit it was, was it? If time rewoond, Kid sure as hell wouldnae actually be seriously considering all o’ the things he wants tae do with Law, a rival captain. And Law is nae taking advantage o’ Kid’s stupid, stupid weakness. He’s demandin’ Kid get better, stronger, jes’ like Killer is. But feck if Kid knows how tae get past e’erything.

And then Law is takin’ his hand an’ givin’ him something, an’ Kid looks doon an’ it’s a piece o’ paper with a Den-Den number written on it . . . no, nae a piece o’ paper, a piece o’ Law’s vivre card. And Kid’s throat hurts an’ he’s nae sure if he wants tae laugh o’ scream.

“For when you catch up.” Law tells him with a small smile. Not his signature smirk, but an actual goddamn smile, an’ Kid needs to look doon at Law’s vivre card an’ Law’s number fo’ a mo’.

“Heh, thenks. Though Ah winnae be needin’ it.” Kid looks back up an’ smiles back a’ Law, though th’ smile lasts only a mo’ ‘fore sharpening tae a smirk tae match the mischief in his eyes. “Yeh’ll see me whin Ah bygae ye, sae dinnae slow doon at a’, ye hear?”

An’ this returnin’ smile o’ Law’s is th’ blinding gleam o’ sunlight aff o’ water as a new day begins. “Like I’ll let you pass me.”

Wirst Generation, huh? Kid would have tae thank whoever coined tha’ term whin they finished tearin’ doon th’ World Government. If people hadnae kept lumpin’ Kid together wit’he likes o’ Strawhat Luffy an’ Trafalgar Law, well, he’d proba’ly ne’er have gotten tae this mo’.

  
* * *

(“But we’re still aff tae snog, eh? This future pirate alliance is nae lik’ waitin’ till marriage?” “Shut up already, Eustass. I have better things for you to do with your mouth.”)


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Again, this is the same fic just with the Scottish dialect toned down!  
> Sorry for any disappointment.
> 
> . . . though now I am wondering about the future of Kid and Law after this fic. . . .

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know if the Scottish dialect in this chapter still makes the fic too hard to read. I know for some (or many) of you English is not your first language and dialect is challenging enough without that added dimension! I can tone it down even more if needed. I trimmed down on the amount of Scottish dialect, but I did leave some Scottish words in the fic and I tried not to change Kid's actual dialogue too much. (A neat trick to know for reading vernacular is just to read it outloud! This especially works with dialogue.) I want Kid to be very Scottish, if possible. The reasoning behind this strategy was also that taking out the dialect out of the majority of the text will lessen the strain so it shouldn't be too frustrating to encounter a few unknown words or to slow down to figure out Kid's speech. Again, if it's still too much I can trim it more. The aspect of Scottish dialect that I largely left in is the leaving out of the end or middle of words. Such as "of" being " o' " and "and" being "an' " or " 'n' ". If that aspect of the dialect is too difficult though, please let me know and I can take most of that out!

Love at first sight was a crock of bull. Lust at first sight, yeah, sure. Didn’t take much. But love? To love someone you needed to trust them, and who the hell was stupid enough to trust someone after one look? The idiots that get killed, probably. 

So no, love was never on his agenda. It can’t be on the agenda if you want to be the one to find One Piece and become the fecking Pirate King. Even if that wasn’t his ultimate goal, Kid didn’t really think much of falling in love. He had his crew and the occasional lay here and there and that was enough to make Kid happy. He’s a simple guy, chris’.

The baseline: Kid just didn’t pay attention to people other than himself and his crew unless he heard some insult thrown their way, then he paid attention to them long enough to bash in their fuckin’ skulls and that was that. He wasn’t dumb though; he’d heard about big name marines and other pirates—only an eejit heads to Grandline and the New World without knowing who’s worth fighting—but he let Killer keep track of all that jobby. If Killer didn’t think it was worth bringing his attention to then it wasn’t worth hearing about. And Killer didn’t bother bringing stuff up unless it was either something Kid needed to know about right away or it was something he’d get a laugh out of. Kid didn’t have the fecking patience to hear about all the problems they might have and all the people they might face. If he listened to all that jobby his arse would still be sitting at the dock of the midden he was born on. 

So Kid didn’t know much about the “other” supernovas (like hell anyone was on the same level as Kid; don’t lump him in with people with lower bounties than him!) when he reached Sabaody. All he needed was the quick run through Killer gave him upon arrival. At that point Strawhat was the only one Kid gave a screw or nail about. Sure the others might sound impressive or interesting on paper, but that shit was written to sell and Kid didn’t much like being sold. Strawhat was only interesting because he made Kid laugh, and because he’d made Kid a side dish whenever he pulled some new shit and Kid had to make sure those damn menus put it straight. 

He fought with any Supernova that got in his path and focused on getting his ship prepped and amusing himself. All in all it was damn boring until that Auction House, and Trafalgar. Trafalgar who Kid knew by face but wouldn’t necessarily notice if Killer didn’t point him out. Trafalgar, who didn’t even bother to get up. Trafalgar who gave him the finger then _turned away_. Then Kid was interested in him. Interested in bashing his face in until he knew his place, that was. But not interested enough to jeopardize his crew by going aff on him right then and there. (Trafalgar probably knew that and that’s why he had the guts to do what he did, or so Kid had initially reasoned.) A guy who needed to learn his place, but not a guy whom Kid was going to go out of his way to learn when he had better things to do. Plus, emptying people’s pockets afterwards didn’t pay for even half the effort Kid went through educating them and feck if he valued his own teaching for so little. 

‘Course, ignoring the other pirate captain didn’t exactly help Kid keep his heid when each person that walked across that stage made him angrier and each sale made his smile stretch wider—too wide, the corners straining to keep it in place, the teeth gleaming in place of snarls or outright, full-bellied laughter. These people made him sick. It was comical how much they sickened him. He was a pirate for chrissake, and a particularly violent one. He had no trouble watching someone choke to death on their own blood, or watching their trollie-bags slither out of wide-gaping stomachs. And wasn’t it fecking hilarious that these people were so goddamn dumb that they actually thought pirates were the scum of land and sea? He wanted to laugh, he wanted to scream, he wanted to bash these people’s brains in. Each time Kid twitched with the desire to move into killing though, Killer ‘s stance also adjusted. If Kid fought, so would Killer. And that’s why Kid had to keep his heid here and nae do something rash. 

Killer pointed out some Strawhats who had entered as a distraction and Kid started thinking maybe coming to this shitshow was worth it after all, but their captain didn’t appear and then the auctioneer wheeled out a spirits-damned mermaid and the fragile illusion collapsed just like that. Everyone in that room knew that pirate or not, they were only dirt and bugs and shit underneath the heels of the Celestial Dragons. And that was enough of this donas farce for him. 

Of course, _that_ ’s when things got interesting. 

Not only was Straw Hat as daft as people said, but he gave Kid the pleasure of watching some numpty drop a Celestial Dragon to the floor! And now Kid knew exactly what kind of crew Strawhat had: one as loyal to him as Kid’s was to him. A crew willing to fight anyone their captain did. In other wards: someone finally worth his time fighting. And the chaos, the bloody chaos! The fecking pigs running from the slaughter! It made his blood warm. 

He only realized Trafalgar and his crew were still there when Luffy took notice of them. Kid wouldn’t have bothered explaining anything to them. What the feck kind o’ pirate gave away information for free like that to a rival? Trafalgar, apparently. Kid wondered just how the hell Strawhat had gotten in here in the first place without noticing the boggin marines; was he actually that oblivious? More importantly though, it didn't seem like he knew anything about Haki in that case. A pirate who didn't know about Haki wasn’t going to cut it in the New World. And then he ignores the warning o’ not only his own crewmate, but o’ fecking Nico Robin herself to hyperfocus on a bear? These people really were mental. Clearly Kid was the only one who actually knew how to be a fecking pirate captain here. Well, he _was_ going to be Pirate King after all, so he supposed that’s how it should be.

Kid had just decided coming to the auction house had been worthwhile after all, but it was time to get goin’ when the Dark King himself appeared. And Strawhat proved himself to be as daft as he looked, wha the hell decides to be a pirate without knowing about all the members o’ the crew tha’ found One Piece? A complete bampot. And then Trafalgar addressed him for the first time, but Kid didn't much mind. In fact, he’d such a good time he was even in the mood to do something nice for the other crews. (According to Killer, Kid never does “nice,” as he’s a complete scunner.)

Fine, so he wanted to batter the Marines and have the spotlight for a bit! Fecking bite him! He has the highest bounty, he _should_ be the one the Marines are looking at. And after all the excitement he needed to go batter _someone_. Not his fault the other two captains didnae know he was doin’ them a favor. (He would have thought less o’ them if they took him up on it though.) At least this way Killer could see Trafalgar’s power all up close an’ all. Kid knew the blonde was right curious about the abilities o’ the Ope Ope fruit. Not Kid, he liked his Devil Fruit just fine. Fecking Trafalgar, who’s he kiddin’ with the whole “I’ll take you out first” shtick? He’s just beggin’ tae be put in his place. But that was fine. Kid has never shied away from any sort o’ pissing contest. 

Fine, maybe Trafalgar’s power is barry. Whatever. As fun as it was watchin’ the marines freak oot aboot the talking head, there’s still nothin’ quite like the looks on people’s faces when Kid turns their own weapons ‘gainst them. It’s a rush, every time. Though maybe Trafalgar got his rush from takin’ people’s body parts, hell if Kid knew. (He personally would rather have the accompanying blood with limb theft. There was just something aff about taking people’s limbs witho’ any red.)

No reason to stay ‘round once the military formation broke, but Strawhat’s matter-of-fact claim was enough to make Kid pause. Enough to make him give the other two captains his undivided attention. Hearin’ those words from someone else was fecking somethin’. He’d finally made it tae a place worth being at, a place where everyone died if they didn't make statements like that. This was better than any bloody heaven or hell. It felt like he’d never actually make it somewhere like this. What would all those fecking corps think o’ this? They seemed even stupider for laughin’, now tha’ Kid was here. Idiots wha couldn't even grasp the concept o’ anything bigger than themselves an’ their own boggin lives; who were too daft tae actually understand they were kept like pigs in a pen, being fed only slop til they were fat enough fo’ the butcher. From here on out, life was going tae be a hell lot more interesting. (Years after, Kid would remember thinking this an’ have a laugh at himself.)

  
* * *  
  


When he said life was going to be a hell lot more interestin’, he didn't actually mean tha’ he wanted to meet a Warlord on top o’ everything else today. What the feck was going on? Why is there an actual Warlord here?

Then Trafalgar had to shaw up too, bein’ all in the way an’ havin’ the gall to just assume that Kid would work with him, and much as Kid would like to get rid o’ him, a Warlord was enough to occupy him ‘n’ his entire crew. And well, Trafalgar came in handy in the end. Though now Kid owed him one for the warnin’ (and ‘twas bad enough that Killer would give him a dixie for turning his back on a Warlord o’ a’ hings like that). Well, Kid would just finish up the Warlord and then they’d be even. But of course Trafalgar had to keep getting in the way ‘n’ it took a lot longer than it should have to get that final blow in. But Kid had always been good at bringin’ attention to himself. He knew e’eryone was watching, Trafalgar and his crew, when he blocked that damn laser shot and then repelled that damn Warlord. And he knew ‘twas damn impressive. He’d like to see Trafalgar try _that_. And this time Kid wasn’t aff to make the mistake o’ turnin’ his back on Kuma. This time, Kid made sure he was down ‘n’ staying down. 

Or, so he thought. Turned out Kuma was a cyborg an’ could stand up no problem. And feck he’d ne’er hear the end o’ this from Killer, goddamn this was going to hurt, at this distance he wasn’t going to be able to collect enough metal to block that laser again. And then there was Trafalgar, sword embedded thro’ a gap that Kid’s own attack had left. 

Feck if this guy made any sense. Giving a warning was one thing, Kid might even warn someone when he was in a good mood, but Law straight up stopped Kuma afore Kid got blown up and that was . . . Kid didn't know what that was other than weird. If it had been the other way ‘round Kid would’ve gone ahead and let Trafalgar get blown up. Any pirate would’ve done the same. And damn if Kid could wrap his head around a pirate that wouldn't let their competition get blown up. But when Kid asked ‘bout it, Trafalgar evaded the question neatly ‘nough ‘n’ well, Kid let him. He’d rather learn more ‘bout the thing they just fought if Law was so willing to share information with his rivals. 

But he didn’t get to learn any more from Law, a shame since it seemed Law was all ready ‘n’ eager to share. Kid supposed he wouldn't have learned any more from Law than what he did when the second “Kuma” appeared anyway. And this time they didn’t even have their crews to back them up, since they were taking care o’ the herd o’ marines coming up behind. At least this time round, Kid was pretty sure he knew what was going on.

“Trafalgar, this ain’t Kuma, is it?”

“What do you think, Eustass.” Trafalgar replied tersely, not even glancing at Kid (and Kid couldn't blame him as he hadn’t taken his eyes aff o’ th’ thing in front of them either).

“‘Tis a robot, yeah?” Kid asked, plan already formulating.

“Yeah. The marines’ newest weapon, it seems.”

“Heh.” Trafalgar glanced at him then, very briefly, but Kid’s eyes never left the robot. “Ah can work with tha’.” It was time to settle his debt to the Hearts’ captain. He sent out a magnetic pulse, lookin’ for the bolts an’ screws that had to make up the robot, but a laser interrupted him. “Oi, Trafalgar, make yersel useful ‘n’ distract him.” Kid ordered angrily, annoyed at the interruption.

“Don’t order me around.” Law snapped back instantly. “I thought you didn’t want me in the way.”

“Well since ye’re always in th’ damn wey anyway, mak’ yersel useful.” Kid snarled back, clenching his teeth to keep the smile up ‘n’ to stop himself from giving the other captain another order. Long behold though, Law finally smartened up and called for the robot’s attention with what looked like a lazy wave (and man, fine, Kid could appreciate that gallus ‘n’ calm ‘n’ confident he always was, even while bruised ‘n’ bloodied) and gave Kid time to start loosening things. Doing it this way was harder than just calling for scrap metal though. Luckily, Kid wis good at takin’ things apart, and Law was giving him as much time as he could, waiting till the last moment to dodge, so by the time Law did dodge, Kid had unscrewed enough that the robot’s legs gave out, and Law was quick to take advantage of that opening. His sword dug in but the robot dropped its mouth open almost simultaneously, preparing its cannon, but Kid hud already disconnected tha’ so it didn't do a whole lot o’ good. Law’s strike wasn’t enough to end the robot, but it didn’t take much longer now that it’d lost use o’ its legs ‘n’ mouth cannon and the two captains were working together. 

“We’re fair for fair.” Kid told Law, waitin’ for him to disagree, an’ maybe he would’ve, he sure looked like he had something to say, but then their crews had caught up and no one wanted to hang around long enough to be met by an admiral as well, so the Hearts’ captain just gave him a short nod. 

“Ah better not see yer hackit mug again ‘till New World,” Kid shouted after the other captain as they parted ways, and Trafalgar actually chuckled at that. 

And then that was that.

After he and his crew reached safety, Kid remembered the big guy that had just shown up with the Hearts.

“Oi, Killer, who was that big one?”

Kid certainly didn’t remember him being with Law earlier.

“Former captain Jean Bart. He was a slave of the World Nobles.”

‘N’ that’s when Trafalgar became the second rival captain o’ th’ Wirst Generation to make Kid laugh. That took some goddamn baws. The Celestial Dragons were going to be pissed about that. First they’re utterly embarrassed by Straw Hat, then another pirate goes ‘n’ takes what’s rightfully theirs? They weren’t just going to forget about that. 

“Trafalgar an’ Straw Hat . . . it’ll be fun ta catch up wi’ them in th’ New World.”

  
* * *  
  


It’s months—almost a full year, actually—after Sabaody, Marineford, and Fishman Island before Trafalgar Law entered Kid’s mind again. What else would you expect? Traveling the seas means you meet a lot of people, and even if just a few of them are interesting that still adds up to a hell of a lot of people, and a lot of those people end up dying anyway, besides Kid was trying to find One Piece. He’s busy. And he’s having a blast in the New World. Sure he lost an arm to Red Hair, but hey it was whatever. Now they just matched. (Red Hair and Eustass Kid had also gotten gloriously blootered after the battle. It’s not lik’ they were fecking friends. Kid was sure as hell going to pay him back for taking his arm but eh, it’s not like he’s going to say nah to some beer after it’s clear he lost ‘n’ he’s bein’ sewn up lik’ a fecking rag doll. So, aye. Kid’s going to draw blood from Red Hair some day, but hell Red Hair was always pretty fecking gallus, alright? So enemy or nah, Kid doesn’t _hate_ the guy. Though man Red Hair is fecking skyrocket.) Until Kid paid Red Hair back in full anyway. Maybe he’d tak’ one o’ his legs instead o’ his remaining arm though. . . . In any case, Kid wasn’t paying attention to any o’ th’ other members of Th’ Wirst Generation (and fine, maybe after meetin’ some o’ them, Kid hud grudgingly decided he didn't mind bein’ lumped in wi’ these other losers all that much) when Killer made a derisive snort o’er th’ latest issue o’ the World Economy Newspaper.

“Eh?”

Killer handed over the newspaper instead of replying. 

**_100 Pirate Hearts for Title of Warlord: Surgeon of Death, Trafalgar Law Made Warlord_ **

_One week ago, The Surgeon of Death, Captain of the Heart Pirates and member of the Worst Generation, came to the Marine HQ asking to meet with whoever was in charge, claiming to have brought a “gift.” The gift was 100 hearts of high bounty pirates, and would be given in exch ange for the ti tle W a rlo rd. . . ._

The newspaper crumpled under Kid’s white knuckled fist, words distorting on the page. 

“ ‘tch, he's a boggin clatty dingleberry.” Kid snarled, throwing the crumpled newspaper into a corner. So much fer Trafalgar bein’ worth anythin’, let alone belonging in Th’ Wirst Generation. Sellouts lik’ him ne’er deserved the title “pirate.” Warlords went against everything a pirate was suppose to be. They were no better than th’ lowest o’ scum. And ‘ere Kid hud been looking forward to seein’ that bastard again. Trafalgar better hope he didn’t run into Kid again for if he did, Kid was going to rip his guts out ‘n’ strangle him wi’ them.

“Don't read any more o’ this trash.” Kid snarled at Killer who’d retrieved the newspaper and was smoothing it back out. Killer sent him a look. And yeah, Kid couldn’t see it behind that helmet his first mate always wore, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t figure it out, 'cause damn were Killer’s _looks_ potent. So Kid did the only thing anybody could do when leveled one o’ Killer’s signature looks, he stomped out o’ th’ room ‘n’ found someone else to yell at. And then he had a session and got rat-arsed on booze. After that he went back to not givin’ Trafalgar any thought. 

  
* * *  
  


That is, Kid didn't think about Trafalgar til he ended up on th’ news wi’ Straw Hat. And feck if it didn't put Kid in a good mood. Straw Hat back in th’ game wis something Kid had been expecting and lookin’ forward to. And Trafalgar usin’ the government for his own ends? Kid could root for that. Anybody wha treated the World Government ‘n’ its dogs the way they treated anybody else was a hilarious ‘n’ satisfying thing for any true pirate. That’s all ‘twas. An’ well, if Kid had time he might have wondered how come he was more excited about Trafalgar than Straw Hat, or how come he felt some kind o’ glee about the scheming o’ a rival crew, but Kid didn't have time to deal with jobby lik’ that so he put it out o’ his mind after acknowledging that he was eager to see what resulted o’ Trafalgar ‘n’ Straw Hat’s apparent alliance. Whether it ended in disaster for th’ other captains or nah, Kid wis damn sure he’d git a laugh out o’ whatever the result was.

The possible outcomes o’ an alliance o’ his one were much more urgent. Truthfully, Kid ne’er planned to mak’ an alliance with anybody. Sure he’d heard all about how you only had two choices in the new world—become a subordinate under one o’ the Four Emperors or form alliances—but he was a rebel at his core ‘n’ had always planned to become powerful enough to do things his way. Trafalgar had been obnoxiously right back at Sabaody: Kid was overly confident. He knew better now. He’d been feckin’ lucky that th’ cost o’ his arrogance ‘n’ ignorance had been an arm ‘n’ not a member—or more—of his crew. Really, he’d have to remember to thank Red Hair for that after he divested that man o’ another limb. Not that he’d use words since he had some fecking sel’ respect. Red Hair’s smart enough: he’ll get the message when Kid just takes a limb from him ‘n’ leaves his crewmates ‘n’ ship be. Hell, even if the guy was daft he couldn’t miss the gratitude Kid wis showing him since the Kid Pirates had a clear reputation even afore entering the New World on account o’ their scorched earth approach to revenge ‘n’ skirmishes. In the meantime, Kid didn’t plan on making any more mistakes. People could say whatever the hell they wanted about him, but he took his role as captain seriously. He was responsible for his crew. He bought their loyalty wi’ his own loyalty, an’ even when he had failed them by charging into things unprepared, they had stood by him. He wasn’t about to gob in their faces again.

Figuratively speaking. Right now Killer was damn close to Kid literally spitting in his face with his “be friendly, say please and thank you, don’t cut any limbs off no matter how much you want to” spiel. For feck’s sake, Killer was Kid’s first mate, not his bloody mother! Unfortunately, Killer did and said as he saw fit. And damn it if Kid wouldn’t stand by him anyway, like he’d stood by Kid. Kid had told Killer not to invite that turd Scratchman Apoo to their hideout, even if they were considering an alliance. Kid had wanted to meet with Hawkins first. If there was a falling out between the three captains, Kid fully expected it to be Apoo’s fault. He’d wanted to sound out some contingency plans. 

In the end, Killer paid the price himself just like Kid had. And damnit if that didn’t kill him. The captain should always pay the cost in full nah matter whether ‘twas ultimately the captain’s mistake or a subordinate’s because when it comes down to it, the captain always has the final word so the mistake is always his in the end. After all, Kid sat down wit’ that Apoo bastard ‘n’ ‘greed to an alliance wit’ him as well as Hawkins. With Strawhat and Trafalgar both back in play, Kid knew things would escalate, and the only way to keep ahead in the New World with rivals like those was to move just as quickly. Being overly cautious to the point o’ falling behind was just as dangerous as overconfidence in the New World where every crew, marine or pirate, wis watching for the slightest sign o’ weakness or hesitancy. Kid had always known being a pirate was dangerous, but he ‘n’ his crew had been walking on mortar shells ‘n’ ashes their entire lives. They were dangerous too ‘n’ they’d bring hell to anybody who underestimated them. (As Kaido ‘n’ his followers eventually learned. . . .)

  
* * *

Red Hair seemed a logical target since Kid had fought him once already. If Kid was being honest, despite whit he’d learned he wasn’t the patient type when it came to rematches. And damnit if it hadn’t been fun fightin’ Shanks, even if he had gotten his arse handed to him! Besides that if Kid failed again . . . Red Hair was a wild card but after that first clash Kid had concluded that he really was a decent pirate and captain. Kid would pay for a second failure, but Shanks wouldn’t completely cripple the Kid pirates. Red Hair liked contest. That much had been clear from Kid’s first clash with the guy. Also, Shanks literally told them that. Kid was pure raging when the guy just took his arm. He may have lost but he wasn’t going to tak’ Red Hair’s scornful derision. Nah, Kid had met that wi’ a snarl ‘n’ shouted something along th’ lines o’:

“Howfer did a body like ye git made an Emperor a’ th’ Sea?! Ye too bleedin’ yellow-bellied ta tak me fuckin’ heid aff proper likeh pirate should!?”

Shanks had laughed at that and Kid took insult to that too but didn’t get very far with his quite massive fleshwound. He didn't _faint_ or _pass out._ He went down fightin’! Later, Shanks poured Kid a dram and told him how empty the seas were these days compared to when he sailed on Roger’s ship as an apprentice. Said ‘twas more fun when the seas were full o’ up ‘n’ comin’ crews out to tak’ his head. He bloody well told Kid that he looked forward to their next rammy but Kid better last longer next time.

A loss to Red Hair was no small thing. It came with plenty consequences. Losing a limb was no small thing for any pirate. The legendary pirate captain Red-Leg Zeff had by all accounts either died or retired after losing a shank. But Red Hair wasn’t Big Mom or Kaido who wanted everybody under their control or dead. If Kid lost to Kaido or Big Mom, that was it. Chances were basically zero that he or his crew could ever come back from that. As for Blackbeard, who fancied his-sel th’ new emperor . . . well even Kid got the willies from that guy. Plus, he wasn’t going tak’ something that was rightfully Straw Hat’s or Marco the Phoenix’s. So Kid had ‘greed to Red Hair being their target. His biggest concern was that Trafalgar ‘n’ Luffy would end up gunning for the same target ‘n’ get in the damn road lik’ they had a tendency to, but after what went doon at Punk Hazard Kid had put it all in on betting that their target wis ultimately Kaido. And goddamnit, Hawkins had figured the same thing. An’ th’ events at Dressrosa confirmed it for them. And feck if they weren’t pul’in ahead with a victory lik’ that! Kid wis impressed, but not too worried. After all, his alliance was ready to shift ahead wi’ their own schemes. Or well, they were. . . .

. . . unfortunately, Kid had ne’er had th’ best luck. Pair that wi’ Grandline’s infamous unpredictability, ‘n’ th’ result wis fecking Kaido his-sel falling from the sky.

  
* * *  
  


And then Kid only had his-sel for company.

  
* * *

He didn't know what happened to his crew. If any o’ them had gotten away, how many were dead, how many were taken by Kaido. He tried telling his-sel he didn’t need any crew members who were weak enough to get themselves murdered, but it’s not exactly like he hadn’t lost either. It’s not lik’ he hadn’t failed again as a captain. Whither a crew member was weak or not didn't matter anymo’ when ‘twas clear their captain was too weak.

  
* * *  
  


‘twas kind o’ funny how perspectives changed. Maybe Kid couldn't beat Kaido but Kaido hadn’t gubbed him yet. Kid had always known that th’ one law o’ th’ New World was that the Strong Live ‘n’ the Weak Die, and he’d always believed that anybody he beat was Weak ‘n’ got whitevur they deserved, that he was better than them somehow. But now . . . Well, he’d always had a grudging respect for those that held to their beliefs even to their deaths. So, so many people had laughed at Kid ‘n’ his crew ‘n’ he’d made them pay with blood ‘n’ bane, and almost all of them had been begging for his forgiveness by the end. Almost, but not all. And here Kid was now, the loser. But he wasn’t breaking. If he broke, that would truly be th’ end o’ th’ Kid Pirates. He owed it to them ‘n’ hi-sel to defy Kaido till th’ end.

He wasn’t going to lose. Kid was going to show Kaido. He was still Strong. He would still Live. 

  
* * *  
  


“Oi, tell ‘em . . . go on, tell ‘em: You idiots better run ‘cuz up till now you’ve simply been playing little pirate games, Eustass Captain Kid.”

What a joke. Kid wanted to laugh, so he did, loudly. ‘ere he is bein’ lumped in wi’ Trafalgar ‘n’ Straw Hat again, as if they’re friends or something just because they’re all in Th’ Wirst Generation. Well fine then, if Kid was going to be part o’ this scabby gig then he wouldn't hold back. He’d be the Wirst o’ them all.

“Looks tae me that ye’r _scared_.” Kid growled with a sneer. “Strongest man in the world mah arse.” 

Kaido is on him in a heartbeat, worked into a greater rage but Kid isn’t done yet and shouts over him. “Who wis thare at ‘The War o’ th’ Best,’ huh? Trafalgar ‘n’ Straw Hat were thare, where wur ye? Hidin’ in th’ shadows lik’ aye ye goddamn coward!”

There was seawater then. There was water and weakness and no air no air no air. And there was salt and open wounds and steel. _Andnoair._

And the first thing Kid did when it stopped and Kaido loomed over him and he got enough air back in his lungs was to smirl at the supposed emperor. “If ye’r so much better than me, than whatcha doin’ doon ‘ere wi’ th’ maggots makin’ it personal? It’s cause ye’r weak, Kaido. Yer time has gone same as Whitebeard’s. It’s our turn now.”

And feck it all, Kid was _proud_ now, that he was one o’ th’ Wirst Generation. He was proud to be lumped in with Trafalgar ‘n’ Strawhat.

“Big words from a captain who hasn’t accomplished anything himself,” Kaido sneered back.

“Nae yit,” Kid gritted out. “So how come yer so obsessed wi’ me? Ah know A’m handsome 'n' all but I don't fuck a body who looks like one leather-faced, bawbag-eyed, huffy fuckbumper.”

That was his last coherent sentence, or thought, for a long time.

Because then there was pain. Pain and water and _no air_ and broken bones and blood and laughter and pain. But he held out. He couldn’t remember if he had any reasons besides rage and spite, but he didn't need more reasons than those. He was Eustass Captain Fecking Kid, one of the Wirst Generation and he wasn't going to let things end here. He wasn't going to let Trafalgar and Straw Hat pull away and leave him, forgotten and defeated and _nobody_ at all. He’d show Kaido and them and fecking Apoo and everyone. 

  
* * *  
  


When delirium took hold, Kid dreamed of tattooed hands and gold piercings and smirking lips. 

_Ah waantin’ tae see it_ , Kid admitted to himself, _whitevur else Trafalgar has planned._ Strawhat had given Kid a lot of laughs, but ultimately that guy just did what he wanted selfishly. He took a stand in singular moments. Seemed like everyone else in the “Worst Generation” were sell outs or working in secret. But Trafalgar. Trafalgar plotted Doflamingo’s downfall. Trafalgar was setting things into motion. Trafalgar was openly defiant and purposely set out to destroy what he could of this rotten world. Kid wanted to see what both Straw Hat and Trafalgar did, but he wanted to see what Trafalgar accomplished most of all. And ah damn it all to hell! Kid wanted this world to change. He wanted it to be broken down and the rusted out bits thrown away and the neglected gears given new oil. He wanted to see things rebuilt. Guess he and Trafalgar were more similar than Kid had thought after all. For all that they were pirates too, Trafalgar was at his core a surgeon and Kid was at his core a mechanic and neither of them could be content with just ignoring the worn out, rotting parts of this world.

  
* * *  
  


The one Kid sees next isn’t Trafalgar, but Strawhat. Maybe it’s better that way. Kid doesn’t want Trafalgar to see him here in this position. Strawhat on the other hand doesn’t treat Kid any differently. (And maybe, just maybe Kid feels a bit o’ relief somewhere about that. Not that it would’ve mattered if Strawhat _did_ treat him differently, since Kid is sure as hell not going to lose to the guy.) Really though, Strawhat may be strong but he’s still an idiot. Or maybe he just didn't care to fight any way but physically. Kid though, he’s ne’er been able to keep his geggy shut so when they got in trouble wit’ Master Dobon that first day, it’s Kid who gets them out o’ trouble, keeps Luffy from getting his damn head chopped aff, fightin’ back wit’ logic. “Whaur’s th’ proof?” 

And when Luffy picks up the old man and walks away first, Kid follows with the first real smile he’s had in a long time. Strawhat’s a handful, sure enough, and they’re still rivals, but Kid’s got his back anyway. Here, they’re both losers. Here, they’re both still Strong. And somehow, wherever Stawhat goes he manages to drum up some excitement and hope, since even in a place like that auction house, even in a place like this, where bodies were clearly divided into the righteous jailers and the downtrodden prisoners, the lines began to blur as things slowly started to change. 

The smile doesn’t last long though. And seriously, Strawhat attracts all sorts of people an’ trouble, like Caribou the slimy bastard. Kid’s not in the mood to tolerate feckin' gossip (like he ever is) and feck if he’ll stand by an’ be accused o’ running away. Kid has never run away in his life. Sure he didn't stick around to deal wi’ Big Mom, but only because he’d already done what he’d needed to do. And like hell he’d let Big Mom get the credit for his missing arm. Most importantly o’ all though, it was time to make it clear where he ‘n’ Strawhat stood. Kid wan't sitting ‘round for some sort of rescue from Strawhat and he certainly didn't need an alliance like Trafalgar had. (He tried the alliance thing an’ man did he regret it. He wasn't bout ta make the same mistake.) He’d get out o’ ‘ere on his own, and he’d take Kaido down on his own too. Trafalgar and Strawhat may have been aiming for Kaido first, but Kaido made things personal and Kid was calling dibs. 

He left Strawhat there after that. It’s not like they were friends or allies anyway. Just two pirates in the same generation. Kid wasn’t going to wait around until Trafalgar's plans went into motion. Strawhat was here so it was time to leave if he was going to beat Kaido first.

  
* * *  
  


Of course, there were some things more important than notoriety or revenge, even for Kid. And one of those things was Killer. Killer, who Kid had no trouble recognizing despite the bandages that replaced his signature helmet. Killer who was in chains and being led to the jail Kid had just broken out of, without even trying to put up a fight. Killer, who for the first time didn't leap into battle the instant Kid did. Killer who kept _laughing._ It was wrong. All of this was so very wrong, and Kid _didn't know whit ta do._

But Killer had ne’er willingly left Kid and Kid had ne’er willingly left Killer ‘n’ no matter what changed, that ne’er would. And he needed to know what happened. Needed to know how many pieces he would have to leave Kaido’s body in. So he let himself be taken back to that goddamn prison. Didn't even fight back when he was chained up and submerged. If Killer wasn't going to fight back then neither was Kid, twas as simple as tha’. If Killer was going ta let himself die ‘ere then at the very least he wouldn't die alone. But Kid still took as deep of a breath as he could ‘fore going under. It wasm't exactly a conscious decision. When you spend yer life fighting not just to survive but to live, it’s hard to le’ go an’ just stop. Even if the water was muffled, Kid couldn't jus’ ignore what people were saying. Not if ‘ere was a chance he’d hear wha’ had been done to his first mate an’ best friend. 

The people in the Worst Generation just didn't make sense. Why the feck should Strawhat care ‘bout Kid? Really, Trafalgar an’ Strawhat made the least ‘mount o’ sense o’ anyone. First Trafalgar, now Strawhat. Why did either o’ them care ‘bout anyone other than themselves an’ their own crews?

“I’m the one who’ll decide where I die,” huh?

Was this really how Killer had decided to go? Had Kid failed so badly as captain tha’ Killer would rather die than keep fightin’?

  
* * *  
  


Whether Killer had truly chosen to die or not, both of them were pulled back up in the end because they were “friend’s of Luffy.” Kid didn't really care ‘bout Strawhat anymore though, not when his first mate was still laughing ‘n’ had tears in his eyes. Nah, the only thing that mattered now was finding whoever he could, whichever members o’ his crew were left, and getting them ou’ o’ ‘ere. Kid wasn't giving up an’ he wasn't go’in’ to risk his crew members’ safety again. Strawhat, Trafalgar . . . Kid couldn't care about them. The only thing he had room for in his mind an’ will right now was his crew. Kaido, Apoo, Hawkins, they were all going down. Kid was going to take them down ‘n’ whoever else he had to ‘til Killer remembered he was Strong too ‘n’ decided to Live. If the first mate faltered, it was the role o’ the captain to stay strong. Even if it seemed childish or meaningless or if it hurt, th’ captain had to keep moving onward, to keep holdin’ onta hope. 

  
* * *  
  


Of course, it’s not as if it’s easy to find his missing crew. Kid isn’t dumb enough to just run around Wano searching for them. Kid finds his ship instead and he and Killer steal it back and work on repairing it and themselves. Honestly, the ship is easy enough to repair despite the heavy damage. For all that Kid excels at destroying things, he has always been equally skilled at fixing things as well. Killer joked that as long as he managed to calm Kid down, he knew Kid could fix whatever he decimated during his tempers. So Kid did just tha’. He repaired his boat then made himself a new prosthetic arm (after digging all the rust he could find tha’ had worked into the remnants o’ his flesh arm from when th’ old prosthetic had been ripped off), and nah, the prosthetic arm didn't operate solely by Kid’s power because how stupid would tha’ be? He didn't need a limb tha’ would become nothin’ better than deadweight the instant it got wet wit’ seawater. During these projects Killer did his own work on the other side of the boat, an’ Kid let him have his space. When ship an’ prosthetic held up to Kid’s high standards (say what you will but Kid made things to _last_ an’ take heavy damage) and various stress tests, he had a plan. He always did do his best planning when his hands had somethin’ to work on. Kid made Killer a new helmet an’ left it where Killer would see it, then he waited. Kid knew _Killer,_ no matter how he’d changed. The helmet was the first step an’ would tell Kid what he needed to know ‘fore he proceeded with any variation o’ his plan. Kid didn't do _gentle_ , but he could do _caution_.

Killer took the helmet and started wearing it again. And Kid gradually came closer, orbiting the spaces Killer was in but without speaking or looking at him, just working on his own thing in a closer proximity. Until Killer threw a wrench at his noggin. 

Then Kid looked at him awright, he glared at him an’ threw the wrench back at Killer. There was a tense silence as they stared each other down. Then Kid’s lips stretched into a crazed smile, promising blood, an’ Killer stood up in one smooth movement and stalked over.

“The ship’s been fixed. What are we still doing here?”

Kid shrugged. “Ya tell me.”

The moment grew more taut, like a balloon that’s bulging with too much air and is one breath away from exploding. Then Killer drops to the floor next to Kid and asks, 

“What’s the plan, Captain.”

* * *

And then they take back what’s theirs. They find Heat and Wire first. They don’t find everyone, but more of them than Kid had dared hope.

  
* * *  
  


“I’m coming.” Killer tells Kid. Neither of them have talked about revenge, but Kid always avenges his own an’ that’s never going to change. So the captain heads to battle an’ his crew goes wit’ him an’ Kid thinks ‘bout how much stronger his crew’s will is than Kaido’s. Kaido who gets so scared he goes after up an’ comin’ pirates through the back door, not even havin’ the decency to come through the front. He thinks ‘bout how Kaido has no right to call himself a pirate or captain anymore. 

  
* * *  
  


And then there’s Strawhat ‘n’ Trafalgar but all three o’ them are on their ships, with their crews, on the ocean. Meeting again like they should be, like Kid had looked forward to. An’ even though Big Mom had joined forces wit’ Kaido, they were back on the sea where they belonged an’ adjusted their sails accordingly, an’ Kid fell back into the same rhythm with Trafalgar and Strawhat that th’ three of them had had back in Saobody. And they didn't give Kid an inch, an’ he didn't give them one either. ‘course, Strawhat has always been somewhat distractible, like some small kid, an’ his attention is caught soon ‘nough by whatever drama the samurai have goin’ on. Trafalgar uses the lull to shoot Kid a look, an’ somehow Kid just knows he’s askin’ _Did Strawhat rope you into this alliance?_

“No. Ah’m gun tae be the one tae take Kaido’s heid.”

And there are inked hands and gold piercings but no signature smirk. Just a short nod of acknowledgement ‘fore Trafalgar heads back to his sub. And Kid has no reason for it but damnit if he isn’t a wee disappointed (if also relieved). But then, Trafalgar looks back o’er his shoulder and says, “Don’t get in my way.”

And Kid grins, in a mixture o’ pleasure and fury, an’ shoots back, “Ye stay oota mine.”

  
* * *  
  


Hard to get in Trafalgar’s way when he’s fucked aff to who knows where, but Kid can't blame him for goin’ somewhere his ally is not because Strawhat and Pirate Hunter Zoro are feckin' stupider than a wrench without a craftsman. But they do help Kid find Apoo an’ he’s happy to get in the way o’ that arse. If he happens to help out Strawhat an’ his first mate then that jus’ means he’s squared up whatever he might owe Strawhat. And from there it’s the usual chaos.

  
* * *

They win. Kid gets Kaido’s head. He didn't do it alone, and he didn't do it without bait, but there’s nothin’ dishonorable about that. He’s a pirate after all. Whoever gets the prize last is the one that wins. An’ it’s not as if he really forced Oden, Yamato, whatever-his-name-was into it. The guy was all “join forces with Straw Hat an’ his allies,” and “kill mah da,” and “open Wano’s borders,” or whatever. So maybe Kid didn't tell him he wasn't actually part o’ the alliance, it all worked out in th’ end. There’s some arguing ‘bout who gets credit for what. Strawhat didn't care ‘bout that when there’s food to consume (seriously what was _with_ that guy). Trafalgar didn't care either. Muttered somesuch ‘bout how the lower his bounty is compared to Kid’s an’ Strawhat’s, the more flexibility he has to operate as he wants. (And Kid fully plans on finding out whit the feck Trafalgar is plottin’ this time, whether Trafalgar is willing to share or not. Kid’s tired o’ being used like a pawn an’ it’s time he disillusioned Trafalgar o’ that fore he an’ his crew find themselves with ‘nother emperor fallin’ down on top o’ them an’ their base.) In the end, it’s agreed that Kid will take most of the credit for Kaido. The samurai convince Yamato-Oden that if they take full credit it’ll make opening the country and dealing with the World Government more difficult, and as long as the citizens of Wano know about all of those who fought against Kaido, it doesn’t really matter. ‘course, in the end it didn't matter wha’ they agreed on because the damn World Government assumes Kid joined the damn alliance an’ publishes tha’ in the World Economy News Paper, the first issue tha’ Wano receives from the world they were closed aff from. 

And Kid doesn't wan’ to trust anyone or be part o’ any alliance aft' what happened with Apoo and Hawkins, but he also hates ‘ow tha’ means he agrees with Apoo, who was all “pirate alliances end terribly and so it’s better to betray everyone from the start.” Apoo was wrong anyway, the Pirate-Mink-Samurai alliance ends amicably ‘nough, though Kid isn't sure whether Trafalgar an’ Luffy are still official allies or not since when he asks Trafalgar shrugs and answers with a cryptic “who knows,” an’ Strawhat laughs and says, “we’re friends!” In any case, no body goes anywhere for a while. The Strawhats want to party, Trafalgar wants to examine those who ate the bad Smilies, and Kid isn't goin’ anywhere if there’s a chance tha’ whate’er was done to Killer can be undone.

* * *  
  


The second issue of the World Economy News Paper comes with the announcement that Wano is planning to open its borders, and that Eustass Kid and Trafalgar Law have replaced Kaido and Big Mom as Emperors of the Sea. It’s barry news and ‘nough to start another party. The Kid pirates go all oot an’ laugh loudly as anyone an’ Kid’s more relieved tae see this than he’ll e’er admit. Hell, he doesn't even yell at Wire, Heat, an’ Zoro for drinking all the beer an’ sake during their contest. Kid puts on a show o’ celebrating for long enough that Killer relaxes an’ finally joins the celebration instead of shadowing Kid, who should be celebrating this. He’s feckin’ proud o’ himself and his crew. He just doesn't want to be in close quarters with the Strawhats, Hearts, samurai, an’ minks anymo’. Besides, the party has moved further inland an’ Kid’s had more than enough o’ being inland. The sea has never stopped callin’ him and it’s a relief to be able to let go o’ resistance an’ just go sit by it.

And that’s where Trafalgar finds him hours later.

“So this is where you went.”

It’s a courtesy that Law bothers announcing himself like this. Kid doesn't bother replying. He’s not in the mood to deal wit’ stupid courtesies. Law, of course, takes this as an invitation an’ sprawls out in the sand next to where Kid is sitting. It’s like deja vu almost, seein’ Law act as boldly casual as he was at Sabaody. 

“Whisky?” Kid finally turns tae the Hearts Captain then. The hand closest to Kid dangles a full whisky bottle in offering, while the other cradles another bottle that he’s clearly been drinking from.   
“Whaur’d ye git those?” Kid asks as he accepts the bottle, noting that it had not been tampered wit’. (Well, it didn't _look_ like it had been, but wit’ Law’s powers who knew.) “Ah thought Roronoa an’ Wire drank it a’.”

“I learned to keep a stash hidden from Roronoa.” Law replies dryly, at odds with the mischief in his eyes. Kid doesn't open the bottle until the other captain’s gaze turns seaward. “It calls me too, you know. The sea.” Law’s voice is soft, barely discernible o’er the hiss and spray o’ the surf. “Funny how it does, despite the devil fruit.”

Kid opts to drink instead o’ reply. Opts to keep his eyes on the ever-constant, ever-changing sight o’ the open sea. He’d dreamed o’ it all this time. Dreamed o’ the swell o’ the waves and the sprays of salt. Dreamed o’ its rockin’ midst dreams o’ tattooed hands an’ gold earrings an’ smirks.

The sea has always called Kid. He’s never liked stayin’ landlocked for long. He wouldn't give up his devil fruit power for anything but those first months aft he’d eaten it had been hard, him havin’ to come tae terms with the sea’s rejection. Well, so he’d thought o’ it ‘til Killer pointed out tha’ the sea wanted to keep those with devil fruits an’ that should mean the sea loved users mor’ than a’body else. Kid had laughed at tha’. Had told Killer he better be careful then as everybody knew the sea was the jealous sort an’ would be none too pleased when his first mate fished him out o’ it. 

“Ye cannae use me nor mine.” Kid says aft' an eternity o’ watching seawater, lettin’ it sing to him like he was a wee child still. Aft' turning his gaze to watch Trafalgar’s frown form.

“I don’t use people, Eustass.” The words are cold and hard. Non-negotiable. Trafalgar’s eyes are just the same. “Whatever you believe of me, I am not like _them_. I am not Kaido or Big Mom, and I am certainly not Doflamingo or the World Government.” It is not ‘til Doflamingo’s name tha’ there is any heat behin’ Law’s tone, but tha’ heat burns with so much intensity tha’ the end o’ his sentence leaves only charcoal, ash, an’ smoke. His eyes don't change though. They’re as unforgivin’ as the chains ‘round Kid’s wrists, as the saltwater he’d almost drowned in, as Kaido’s hand pushing down.

Kid’s mouth is dry. He takes a moment to drink. “Good. Be a right shame ta haf ta kill ye.” 

Law’s eyes widen slightly at that. A chuckle breaks through the return of his smirk. “As if you could,” he tosses back, a challenge given in good humor though the sharp white o’ teeth is a stark reminder tha’ if the challenge is taken up they will bring blood an’ death.

The white o’ Kid’s teeth gleam back, stark white in his answering grin.

The moment stretches out, the possible danger electrifying blood, sendin’ it rushing faster an’ hotter. But neither o’ them act an’ the thrum o’ violence settles under the steady crash o’ water, enough to emphasize the sting o’ salt without o’ertakin’ it. Kid drinks some more, catching up tae Trafalgar whose bottle is almost empty. An anesthetic for the pain to come. 

“Can yeh fix it? Whit they done ta Killer?”

Law frowns and considers the remnants of whisky in his bottle, turning it so it surges as if imitating the sea’s tide. Kid grits his teeth, willin’ himself to wait when all he wants is to tear the answer out o’ Trafalgar’s throat in a spray o’ blood.

“Not completely.” Law’s eyes search for his reaction to that, unwilling to say more than that yet. Heaviness settles in Kid’s limbs, as if it’d n’er left. He’s not surprised, but damnit all if he hadn't been hoping. Whatever Law sees in his reaction is ‘nough to convince him to continue. “I can minimize the cachinnation factor.” Kid’s knuckles go white, but ‘fore he can snarl out his ignorance, Law explains, “the laughter. I can’t fix it entirely. He’ll still laugh occasionally when he doesn’t want to, likely during times of great emotional stress. But it’ll be less frequent and easier for him to stop when it does occur.” Kid takes a deep breath an’ loosens his flesh hand muscle by muscle. Law’s words keep coming though, faster, though precisely enough that they don’t trip over each other. “The Strawhats’ doctor is working on a medicine that can help too. A pill Killer can take whenever he feels himself slipping and needs some help keeping control of his body’s reactions. It won’t—Chopper is a conscientious doctor. His dream is to create a cure for every disease. He’s very knowledgeable about the side effects and unintended consequences of medicine. He won’t let anyone have any medicine he’s developed unless he’s absolutely sure it’s safe. He’ll make sure it helps Killer control his laughter without negatively impairing his motor abilities or anything.” Law takes a breath and the words stop suddenly, waiting for an explosion. Kid stays silent. “I can explain what I’m doing in greater detail, if you want. Chopper is always willing to explain his medicines in greater detail as well.”

“Nah. Ah dinnae need ta know.” Kid knows for a fact tha’ Killer is gettin’ the full explanations an’ asking whatever questions need to be asked. Kid won't understand any o’ the medical or scientific jargon. Killer will tell him whatever he needs to know. Kid’s angry ‘bout all o’ this, sure. But he’s not going to take it out on the people willing to help. There’s not many doctors tha’ will see pirates, an’ even fewer medical facilities tha’ will admit them. Good doctors are hard to find. And he knows ‘nough to know tha’ Trafalgar an’ Tony Chopper are among the best. 

“He won’t be able to swim or eat another devil fruit. I’ve been researching devil fruits but there’s still not a lot anyone understands about how they work.” Law pauses again and Kid wonders if that’s normal. He didn't get the impression tha’ Law was one who would pause this much. Then again, it’s not like they’ve spent ‘nough time together for Kid to know what Law’s normal speakin’ habits are. 

“I have some of Caesar’s notes,” Law continues. “Most of his research was destroyed with his lab on Punk Hazard, but I was there a while and have some notes of my own. I’ll let you know if those ever lead anywhere.”

Oh. That’s . . . Kid doesn't know what Law tellin’ him tha’ is other than stupid. “Yeh haf a death wish, Trafalgar? ‘ere Ah thought yeh were smart.” Kid’s words are scornful an’ mockin’. Aft all tha’ happened, he’s pissed aff at Trafalgar’s an’ Strawhat’s easy trust. 

“I did actually.” Law’s words fall to the ground like Kaido did, creating holes where they land, unmovable by anyone but themselves. But Law continues, gaze and words steady, “I still do at times.” When Law pauses this time, it’s a deadly one. The moment when a snake is sizing you up ‘fore it strikes. “And I know _exactly_ what I’ve risked.”

Kid scoffs an’ drains his whisky, hopin’ Trafalgar will get the message an’ clear out. And Trafalgar does stand but he doesn't leave. No, he looms o’er Kid.

“Some things are worth the risk, Eustass. No matter how many times things go wrong.” There’s a certain gravitas tha’ comes with the words o’ someone wha knows exactly what they’re talking ‘bout, which the words o’ those who do not lack. Law’s every word is steeped with tha’ gravitas. Kid remembers Killer commenting on the Surgeon of Death. On how odd it is tha’ there was not a thing on Law ‘til his first bounty. A common trait o’ someone who had to go into hidin’ from the World Government, Killer had said.

Kid stays silent an’ listens to Trafalgar walk away. 

Then it’s just him an’ the sea.

  
* * *  
  


All things come to an end. Especially when yer a pirate with another island to get to. The Whitebeards had already left, giving the Minks a lift back home as they went. The Strawhats had left the day ‘fore last. An’ now ‘twas the Hearts who was leavin.’ Kid couldn't wait any longer or he’d lose whate’er chance this is. To be honest, Kid’s not sure what this is. But he still dreams o’ ocean waves an’ tattooed hands an’ smirks. He dreams o’ Law leanin’ o’er Killer tellin’ him he needs to move the helmet, but Killer can turn his head if he doesn't wan’ Law tae see his face. An’ Law’s voice is not soft at all. It’s cool an’ professional, but his hands are so careful. Their touch so fleeting they’re almost not there. An’ Kid _wants_.

So he pulls on his big man britches an’ gets his arse o’er to that eyesore o’ a pirate ship. An’ marches up to where Law is talkin’ to his crew, who see him comin’ an’ clear out awful quick. Law turns, relaxed as e’er. An’ damnit if Kid doesn't wan’ to slug him. Damnit if Kid doesn't wan’ to haul him in close an’ snog him. So he gets straight to the point. 

“Ah wan’ in,” Kid demands, “whitever ye’r planning fo’ the world government, Ah wan’ in.”

It’s the second time he’s managed to surprise the other captain. A fact tha’ Kid is proud o’. It’s ‘bout time he started catchin’ up. Law and Strawhat have surprised him too many times than is fair. 

“I thought you weren’t doing alliances ever again, Eustass.” Trafalgar points out.

“Jest work me intae yer plans. Ye’r smart ‘nough tae be able tae do tha’, are yeh naw?”

Trafalgar frowns an’ though he stands as tall an’ straight as ever, it seems like a weight has returned. Kid frowns back. He didn't want to do this. He’d had more than ‘nough o’ being vulnerable. But damnit if he knew tha’ was not fair. Law was brave ‘nough to be vulnerable for no reason a’ all other than he apparently thought Kid was worth the risk. So Kid squares his shoulders, looks Law in th’eye an’ confronts things head on like he always done.

“Killer said Ah should try ‘gin. He said Ah was right ‘bout Apoo. Said he shouldnae’ve pushed me intae agreeing tae anythin’ an’ he should’ve had more trust in me as captain. Said I had tae start trusting me own gut ‘gin an’ stop cripplin’ meself worrying over all o’ them.” Kid pauses here, making sure the message is clear. ( _I want to trust you. I want us to work._ ) “He called me a right eejit an’ reminded me tha’ ‘failing means yer playin’.’ But I dinnae trust mahself yet. . . . Ah think ye know wha’ that’s like.” 

Law nods, agreeing so easily, as if that’s somethin’ that’s normal ‘n’ reasonable instead o’ the fatal weakness tha’ a captain should ne’er carry, let alone admit to so readily. “I’m not going to give myself a headache trying to factor you in. And I’m sure as hell not going to _wait_ for you, Eustass. The world isn’t going to wait till you’re ready or not.”

An’ Kid is damn sure that’s a rejection in e’ery possible way. He wants to be angry, he _is_ angry, but he’s jest so tired o’ everything. He jest wants to go an’ be alone. But Law isn't done yet.

“So hurry up and catch up already.”

“Whi—”

“It’s not like you to be so slow, Eustass.”

Oh.

It hurts in a way tha’ pisses him aff tha’ Law just expects him to suck it all up an’ act like, like time just rewound an’ none o’ this had happened, but actually that’s not what it was, was it? If time rewound, Kid sure as hell wouldn't actually be seriously considering all o’ the things he wants to do with Law, a rival captain. And Law is not taking advantage o’ Kid’s stupid, stupid weakness. He’s demandin’ Kid get better, stronger, jest like Killer is. But feck if Kid knows how to get past e’erything.

And then Law is takin’ his hand an’ givin’ him something, an’ Kid looks down an’ it’s a piece o’ paper with a Den-Den number written on it . . . no, not a piece o’ paper, a piece o’ Law’s vivre card. And Kid’s throat hurts an’ he’s not sure if he wants to laugh o’ scream.

“For when you catch up.” Law tells him with a small smile. Not his signature smirk, but an actual goddamn smile, an’ Kid needs to look down at Law’s vivre card an’ Law’s number fo’ a moment.

“Heh, thanks. Though Ah won' be needin’ it.” Kid looks back up an’ smiles back a’ Law, though th’ smile lasts only a moment ‘fore sharpening to a smirk to match the mischief in his eyes. “Yeh’ll see me whin Ah pass ye, sae don' slow doon at a’, ye hear?”

An’ this returnin’ smile o’ Law’s is th’ blinding gleam o’ sunlight aff o’ water as a new day begins. “Like I’ll let you pass me.”

Worst Generation, huh? Kid would have to thank whoever coined tha’ term when they finished tearin’ down th’ World Government. If people hadn't kept lumpin’ Kid together wit' the likes o’ Strawhat Luffy an’ Trafalgar Law, well, he’d proba’ly ne’er have gotten to this moment.

  
* * *

(“But we’re still aff tae snog, eh? This future pirate alliance is nae lik’ waitin’ till marriage?” “Shut up already, Eustass. I have better things for you to do with your mouth.”)

**Author's Note:**

> The idea of Law being able to reverse some of the effects of the Smiles and partially heal Killer is something I borrowed from “you are not the pie crust” by doublejoint (https://archiveofourown.org/works/27128740).
> 
> I’m sure there were other ideas inspired by other KidLaw fanfics but I cannot for life or love think of any other specific thing to mention right now.


End file.
